Soul Catchers
by Mudora
Summary: Zelda has never known the fighter's life, but when Link's soul is stolen, shattered into eight parts, and is scattered around the land of Hyrule, she must embark on a quest with the sages and a few others to stop evil from envolping the land once again.
1. Prologue

_**Well if most of you haven't guess yet, I'm redoing Soul Catchers for one very important reason. I just believe it needs a little improvement. **_

_**For those of you that have been following with the fiction, I honor you for reviewing, commenting, and what not. Personally I think you guys deserve better. So that's why I'm rewriting it. **_

**_The plot is the same… don't worry. And so far most of you guys don't know what the real ending is going to be like, which is good. It's still going to be in third person point of view. _**

_**Anyhoot, I'll get on with it. **_

_**This is a Link and Zelda fic so don't go freaking out. Link and Zelda are already in love, but don't you worry Malon and Link lovers. Malon is in it. (I have a liking to the farm girl so there is no WAY I'm leaving her out.) **_

_**I don't own the Legend of Zelda characters, nor do I own the copy right of them, and I'm not going to type this over and over again in the chapters because I've already mentioned it once so therefore it would be pointless to do so. **_

_**And also, sorry for such the long, long, long, long, wait. Now that it is summer, I can finally get some headway on this thing. **_

**Soul Catchers **

**Prologue **

Zelda did not like nightmares for one good reason.

They terrified her.

Of course everyone hates nightmares. It's only natural to the human nature. Who would want to see someone you know, love, or yourself in a frighteningly, seemingly, real situation that involves someone getting hurt, lost, disappear, or even killed?

No one. At least she hoped no one did.

The only thing that Zelda _did _know about her nightmares is that they were always unsettling. Almost every night she would have one. Why the goddesses would want her to have these dreams, she didn't know. Overall she wanted to have nothing to do with them. It kept her worry meter up in the red and she hated that. It made her look like a worry wart or some over protective mother trying to keep her child from seeing the evils of the world. But, she wasn't protecting a child… more like a certain hero that kept getting into trouble.

"He gets into more trouble than anyone I know…," the Princess muttered to herself, resting her arms on her balcony. Her head rested on her hand while she looked out at the stars and the moon. It certainly was a beautiful night. Summer had always brought clear skies. Perfect for star gazing and astronomers alike.

But to Zelda it was a calm before the storm. The quiet night always brought something into her sleep. Something that always kept her nerves standing on end. Something that she would always have to tell Link in the morning. Something that would always get the same reply.

"Don't worry Zelda… nothing like that is going to happen."

"'_Don't worry Zelda… nothing like that is going to happen!'" _ Zelda mocked, "as if you have any idea…"

The Leader of the Sages sighed and straitened up, still looking at the little lights shining above her, "You better be alright you stubborn hero or I'll rip you so there is nothing left of you…"

She walked back into her room and looked at her desk where an open letter rested. Most wouldn't really even call it a letter, considering there wasn't much written on it. It looked like it had been handled far too much for just a simple note.

Zelda sat down in her chair and red the words once more for about the eleventh time that day:

_Zelda, _

_Sorry you got this on such short notice, but I was kind of in a hurry considering I got asked to do this on such short notice. _

Just like Link… trying to avoid the point as per usual.

_Anyway, I just saying don't flip out that I'm gone this morning. I was called by the Mayor of Clock Town to go and investigate a thievery that took place. Said it was urgent so I packed my bags. _

_He says that the thing that was stolen was something called the Soul Catcher… _

"Well, at least he tells me what happened this time…," Zelda muttered while reading.

_It's a relic can manipulate souls… what ever that means. I'm not too heavily doused in the subject. Anyway, as per usual I don't want you to worry too much alright? _

Zelda imagined a laugh coming from Link as he wrote that.

_I'll be back in a week. No more or less okay? I'll be back soon. After all it's only a thief. Just one thief… okay? _

_No worries, _

_Link. _

And so the letter ended abruptly. She wished the letter included something more… something like a p.s. but not… Link wasn't the type to leave long, wonderful, heartfelt letters. He was, after all, a man of very few words, but Zelda had managed to open him up a little.

She folded the letter and put it back into it's parchment envelope and put it on one of her desk shelves. She then reluctantly moved toward her bed and climbed on it, letting her head fall limp on her fluffy pillows. She pulled the covers over her, and made herself fall asleep.

She knew she would regret it in the morning.


	2. Chapter 1

**Oh my gosh… I am so sorry for leaving you guys like that, but I was having fun spending a month for a wonderful vacation. **

**Of course not like a month of waiting is going to make up for it. Hopefully the next chapter I post will do that for you. It will be much longer I assure you. **

**Other than that, please review and tell me if I did better on the dream sequence than last time. If you're not one of those older readers, than don't mind what I just said. Just have fun reading it. **

**Oh and I don't own anything… sadly enough as it is… well... not in this chapter or story anyway. **

**Soul Catchers **

**Chapter 1**

**The Dream **

Everyone has had an experience such as a nightmare. Some seem silly; some seem more serious, some long and hard, while others short and small. Sometimes you fight back, and realize you can manipulate the images to your bidding, whilst others plead that the images will soon fade. You can wake from them in a cold sweat, calmly, or just plain be shocked that you actually woke up at all.

And of course, when you do wake up from one of these twisted plays, you have choices: one, you can stay in bed, face your fear, and go to sleep. Two, you can stay up all night. And finally three, in which you can crawl into bed with your parents. Any of these choices can provide comfort to you. No matter how cold they may seem in a person's opinion.

But the Princess of Hyrule has none of these options.

For her nightmares are endless…

And the night itself cannot keep up with the power or will of the Goddesses…

)(0)(

_Zelda scurried through the darkness, managing to just trip on practically every invisible object that was poor enough to stumble upon. _

_Hot tears ran down her face, hoping beyond hope that she could find some light. But nothing, not even a candle flame, could be seen through the black ink surrounding her. _

_She stumbled once more, this time falling on her face to the invisible ground. Becoming frustrated with this repeating action, she began to scream and pound the blackness with all her dream could allow her to. _

_As her fists collided with the unseen barrier that was the floor, she soon realized that her raging was breaking the black surface. Zelda paused for a moment to see what was happening. The floor continued to crack, and as it did so, pure bright light flowed through the crags that the broken lines left behind. The Princess looked down in aw as light now flooded the darkness, taking everything and illuminating it. Zelda had to cover her eyes it was so bright. _

_A strange sound filled Zelda's ears as the light soon started to die down, but not completely. She could tell behind her eyelids that some light still remained. She felt reluctant to open them, unwilling to see what might be in front of her. She knew it would be something bad, and or hard to see. But then she also knew that if she didn't steal her courage the vision would never end. _

_It was just that they seemed so real… _

_She finally decided to slowly open them, and her eyes revealed that she was standing in the Temple of Time, the unseen choir chanting the Song of Time over and over, making it echo across the temple's ancient pillars of stone that seemed to go into nothingness. But the song was awkwardly quieter than usual. Some other sound was coming over the beautiful melody that was obviously more important to hear. _

_It sounded like a cry of distress and pain. _

_And then… there was… sinister laughter… _

_Zelda slightly turned so she could see the Temple of Time's alter near the end of the building, and gasped in horror at what she saw. _

_Link was lying against it, bound by chains of magic, struggling to get away from a woman. _

_Zelda then looked at the woman herself, and studied her features intensely. She had waist long, black, wavy hair that she did not tie back, nor seem to mind to comb. The hair framed a pale, high cheek bone face which held blood red lips and velvet eyes to match the woman's ferocity in her appearance. Her clothes did not help much either, as they were very form fitting until it hit her hips, in which a large dark purple gown grew out from a dark navy sheer over layer. Her arms were covered in the same fabric that went all the way over her wrists, but her arms were still visible, and through the fabric, Zelda could see tattoos made in black ink… they were symbols of enhancing dark powers. _

"_Does it hurt Hero?" she said as slowly and painfully as possible. Her voice matched her figure perfectly; It reeked of poison and evil, ready to kill any good in the world as she saw fit to do so. _

_Link did not reply, but only continued to struggle against the magic. Zelda was startled by his expression… he looked… frantic. _

"_Link?" Zelda called out hoping that he could hear her. But to no avail. Link didn't even seem to acknowledge she was even there in the first place. _

"_How does it feel?" the woman said mockingly down at the green clad boy, "How does it feel to actually lose?" _

_She cackled as Link slowly looked up at her and scowled. _

"_You will gain nothing… your plan won't work…" _

"_Oh will it now? I see doubt in your eyes Hero… do I sense… fear? Anguish? Even… doubt?" _

"_LINK!" Zelda called again, but once more it seemed like no one heard Zelda's voice. _

"_You don't see anything through your cold eyes witch." The hero said spitefully. His glare that he was giving her would have sent shivers down Zelda's spine if he was looking her way. _

"_Heh… you think you're still in control? Look at you… a poor foolish boy waiting for his demise." _

_She raised both of her hands, which were adorned with black and long nails, and chanted words that indistinguishable by the Hylian ear. Zelda then ran toward the alter screaming, "Link! NO! LINK!" _

_But the Princess's advance was halted by some unseen force. She tried fighting against it, but she couldn't budge against the tight hold it had on her. She felt the hot flood of tears coming down her face once more, and reached helplessly at the bound hero. _

"_PLEASE NO!" _

_The witch's hands came down, palm outward in front of Link, and dark, wispy looking threads came out, which headed strait for the Hero's chest. Link cried out in pain as the dark threads bored into his body, still trying desperately to get out of his bonds. _

_The inky strings however were doing a well enough job keeping him down as they soon found what the witch was looking for. The threads raced out almost as fast as they went in, and had in their possession, a white glowing sphere. It was a beautiful object that shone with the brightness of the sun and couldn't even be described with words. _

_Link's eyes moved slowly to what was in front of him, and his breathing became slow and even, but deep as he looked at what the black threads were still holding. _

"_What a beautiful thing a soul is… don't you think hero?" the woman added a hint of bitterness to the title. Her deep lips moved up into a smirk and ordered her 'pets' to give her the sphere of light. _

"_LINK!" Zelda screamed once more, even though she knew it was useless. _

"_No…" Link muttered. _

"_Hmmm? What was that?" The witch said, putting a hand up to her ear mockingly. _

"_you… you will not… succeed…" _

_Suddenly, another light filled the room. A light much brighter and more brilliant than what the glowing sphere gave off. It started from Link's right hand and moved outward frilling the room with a golden hue. _

"_What? Impossible!" the woman hollered. _

_Zelda stared at Link as the events happened rather quickly in front of her. The golden light died off as suddenly as it had appeared, and after a moment, the bright sphere that the woman wanted, shattered into eight pieces, each a different color. _

"_WHAT IS HAPPENING!" the witch cried out once more. _

_The new spheres, no longer shining as brightly as they used to when they were together, flew up towards the ceiling, and then they all quickly fled in the eight directions of the compass rose. _

"_Link?" Zelda continued to cry out. _

_Link lay by the alter unmoving, but alive. He was breathing calmly, but his eyes seemed lifeless. _

_As if… oblivious of everything around him. _

_Zelda's vision faded, along with the frustrated screams of the witch, and the quiet chanting of the Song of Time. _


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I hope I updated quick enough for some of you people. The chapter's about 9 pages… so I think I did a good job. **

**Anyway, I'm sorry for the kind of abrupt ending, but it was kind of necessary. So don't eat me. **

**Other than that, I don't own anything except for a few things in here and what not that haven't really been stated. DIE LAWERS! (Kills lawers with keyboard) **

**Soul Catchers **

**Chapter 2**

**The Week After**

Zelda awoke quickly, her upper body going upright the moment she opened her eyes, sending her blonde locks flying forward, and then going back to normal. Her breath came in ragged gasps and sputters, and she was in a cold sweat. She looked around slowly, to reveal that she was no longer in the Temple of Time. She was now safe and sound in her own bedroom. But the moon still shone in the sky… but it was low, and Zelda got it through to her throbbing and aching mind it would be dawn soon.

'**It _was just a dream, don't worry about it_**_' _

'"_Don't worry about it?" DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT? When was the last time that was a good idea?" _

'_**Link didn't want you to worry remember?' **_

'_But Link was… he was – ' _

'_**In a dream… calm. Down.' **_

Zelda listened to herself and decided to take deep breathes to steady herself. After she regained her regal composure, she pulled her bed sheets away from her and gently stepped on to the now cold stone floor. The contact made shivers go up her spine, but she withstood it and walked over to her nearby desk by her bed.

She sat down in her comfortable chair and calmly pulled out the letter from Link that she had received last week tomorrow. She carefully removed it revealing the quickly written message. She unfolded it and read the contents once more:

_Zelda, _

_Sorry you got this on such short notice, but I was kind of in a hurry considering I got asked to do this on such short notice. _

_Anyway, I'm just saying don't flip out that I'm gone this morning. I was called by the Mayor of Clock Town to go and investigate a thievery that took place. Said it was urgent so I packed my bags. _

_He says that the thing that was stolen was something called the Soul Catcher… _

_It's a relic that can manipulate souls… whatever that means. I'm not too heavily doused in the subject. Anyway, as per usual I don't want you to worry too much alright? _

_I'll be back in a week. No more or less okay? I'll be back soon. After all it's only a thief. Just one thief… okay? _

_No worries, _

_Link. _

'_No worries… how could he say that?' _ Zelda thought as she touched the unruly man penmanship.

No worries…

'**_He's saying it for your own good you know'_ **

'_I know! I know… but… the dreams don't help any… and how do I know it's just a dream? I've become so lost with my own dreams and fantasies and my own horrors that I don't know what's prophecy any more!' _

'_**Everything comes in time…' **_

'_I hate it when it does, because usually it's too late' _

'_**Or the Goddesses willed it…' **_

Zelda put the parchment back into its envelope and put it back in its protective drawer. She turned her head to look at where the moon was at. It was just disappearing over the mountains, and pink light of dawn was coming quickly. Impa, her Sheikah nurse made, would be coming shortly to wake her up for breakfast.

"Might as well get ready now… might get my mind off things…" the princess said to herself as she got up from her chair.

Her feet padded over the floor as she walked toward her wardrobe to where her dresses hung. She took the fine polished knobs and pulled open, revealing a space filled with shining fabric, beads, lace and other rather expensive pleasantries. The Princess of Hyrule did require the best of the best…. Or at least that's how her father put it. She filed through the dresses made to fit her perfectly, deciding what color wouldn't be too… flashy. After all, Link was coming home today. And Zelda never wanted to really over impress.

Or at least that's what Link promised… to come home today.

But the Hero of Time _did_ have this tendency to break some of those promises…

'_**I bet he crossed his fingers when he wrote that letter…' **_

'_No… he doesn't do that writing letters… he just does that when he tries to fool me out in the open.' _

'_**He's a tricky one that boy…' **_

'_You think?' _

Zelda stopped filing through her outfits, when she noticed a flash of a familiar shade of pink. She paused for a moment, and went back a few dresses when she spotted what caught her eye.

It was her mother's dress that she wore all that time ago.

Zelda sighed contently as she took her hand that was filing through the dresses to touch the gentle, silk fabric. Boy did this dress bring back memories.

'_Seems like yesterday Hyrule was saved doesn't it?' _

'_**Yeah... I guess so.' **_

'_I can't believe I ran through a crumbling tower in this thing!' _

'_**I can't believe you didn't trip!' **_

'_Hey… you're being mean to yourself!' _

The Princess shrugged her mental self off as she reached out and plucked the dress out of the wardrobe to get a better look at it.

As her eyes had revealed, the top was a darker pink, while the skirt made a softer tone of the color. It was sleeveless, as the golden armor plates went over her shoulders, and the decorative cloth that went around her waist and covered the front of her dress was attached to an equally golden belt. (She remembered that those were in one of the wardrobe drawers). The gloves were in one of the compartments of the wardrobe and were perfectly white and went past her elbows. The dress was long, and when put on, it would drag on the ground a little, which gave the feeling like you were walking through water.

The princess sighed as she looked down at the ever so elegant dress. She hadn't worn it in a while and she decided that it was high time that she did. She got the other things that went with it (the armor plating and the belt) and went strait behind her screen to strip down and redress herself in the dress.

"Geez… I forgot how hard this was to put on…," Zelda mumbled as she started attaching the armor plates over her shoulders.

As she put on the remaining items, her thoughts wondered to the days in which Link and herself were saving Hyrule. She still couldn't believe she was wearing the exact same dress which saw Link defeating Ganon. She could also remember the time when she finally changed back to herself after seven years in the guise of Sheik. The look on the Hero's face was definitely a priceless one. And usually you can't get a face of pure shock out of the boy. Zelda mentally smirked as she remembered the moment fondly. The slightly agape mouth, with his gorgeous blue eyes wide in disbelief.

'_That was a great look for him…,' _The princess thought, putting on the white gloves.

'**_That wasn't just a great look for him, that look was the look of pure want!' _**

'_That and other things,' _ the princess giggled out loud at her inner thought.

She was now dressed, and she needed to attend to her hair. She walked over to the lavish looking armoire and opened one of its drawers to reveal a brush lying in wait to be used. She combed her now twisted blonde locks and they quickly became tamed and strait again. She then placed her crown on top of her head, and then she studied herself in the mirror in front of her.

"Oh my Goddess I look like my mother…" she breathed remembering a portrait of her mother fondly wearing the exact same dress that she wore now.

She brought her vision away from the mirror to look outside her window. The moon was now completely gone, and the morning rays of the sun were now starting to make there way into Zelda's bedroom. Once the sky turned blue, Impa would be coming to wake her up.

"Well I guess I have some time to spare… a little anyway."

And with that, she went to her desk to busy herself until the moment Impa arrived.

)(0)(

It was a beautiful morning at Lon Lon Ranch. The cucoos cooed in the field, the horses whinnied at the rising sun, and even the cows were acknowledging the new day. But of course, the Lon Lon crew had gotten up early that day to start their never ending work on the farm. Malon, being one of them. The red headed ranch girl continued to pile hay on a cart to send to the horses. It was bone tiring work, but Malon was not the one to lay off her duties for the horses. She loved the animals, and if she failed to finish her job, she didn't think the animals would like her much anymore.

She continued to use her pitchfork and lifted the heavy blocks of hay over to the wagon.

"I can just tell this is going to be a rough day…," Malon said to herself as she picked another block of the hay.

She dropped her pitchfork after one more block of hay was loaded, seeing as the wagon was finally full now, and got behind the reigns. But before she could motion for the horses to move, she heard galloping in the distance.

"Someone is coming in this early?"

The thought bothered the ranch girl, and she decided to go investigate who this early visitor was. She walked over toward the barn and the ranch house. The cows in the barn were making noise at the sound of the intruder. The galloping had stopped, and Malon had guessed the stranger stopped in front of the house. As she rounded the corner however, she realized that it was hardly a stranger.

In front of her stood her favorite mare, Epona. And with her was the Hero of Time himself.

"Link?" Malon called questioningly.

The Hero, swiveled his head from side to side, until he saw the red shock of hair over by the barn. He smiled and waved at her.

"Link!" The farm girl smiled at the familiar green garbed boy and she returned the wave. Malon then started walking over to him, her beaming face giving away how excited she was to see her old friend there.

"Hey Malon! How have you been the past week?" Link asked, patting Epona on the side of her neck, which the mare gracefully took as a good job.

"Oh, you know… work, work and work… you?" Malon replied smiling.

"I'm pretty sure you would guess… work, work, and work," Link replied smiling with his 'god like grin'.

Malon laughed as the boy clad in green restated her greeting, "No really fairy boy, what have you been doing? I was hoping I would get a note or something telling me that you were leaving!"

"Sorry," Link said a little shamefully, "It was a short notice thing. Urgent. Hopefully people can understand that right?"

Malon playfully looked like she was debating whether or not she could understand his short notice. Link started to look a little nervous, until the farm girl smirked in her playful manner.

"Well… that's alright, seeing as you're a big hero and all." Malon said punching the boy's shoulder. He flinched and rubbed the recently punched limb.

"Why do you have to do that?"

"Oh come on Fairy Boy… it's a custom of mine remember? You have to get punished _somehow _right?"

"Hey… I do _not _deserve to be punished for that."

"Oh really?"

The Hero just replied by giving her a glare. Malon just shrugged it off and put on a sweet smile, "so," she said eyeing Epona to make sure she was okay, "what are you here for?"

"I'm here to drop Epona off," he replied stroking the horse's snout and giving the tired mare something to eat, "I plan on just walking to the castle."

"You're going to walk?" Malon asked confused, "Is there something wrong with Epona?" Malon's face turned into a scowl and she went to her tough tom boy attitude, "you didn't ride her too hard did you?"

Link waved both his hands exclaiming that he did not putting the best innocent face he could muster.

"No no no no no! I didn't! I just think she needed a good rest is all, and besides! Hyrule Castle Town is just a mile away, and if I run it will only take seven minutes to get there! Honest! And I don't think Epona wants to stay in the castle stables… they are too crowded… you know?" Link then put on a hopeful expression, praying that Malon wouldn't do anything to him.

The farm girl folded her arms and eyed the Hero in a scrutinizing fashion. She then decided to by the excuse, and not give him any trouble, considering he was busy. But, if he wasn't busy, she would have been on him like a Lizafos to fresh meat.

"Alright fairy boy… if that's all then I will be more than happy to let Epona have her stall back… you have a safe walk you hear?" Her sweet smile was back on and Link relaxed seeing as he was in no more danger of being yelled at.

"Thanks… I'll see you around, and don't work yourself too hard."

"How can that happen fairy boy? I'm a tough girl! You out of all people should know that."

Link smiled once more and did a short wave/salute to the farm girl and ran off toward the exit, leaving Malon alone with Epona nipping at her yellow scarf.

"Okay girl, let's get you inside shall we?"

)(0)(

"Zelda… is something wrong?"

Zelda looked up at her nursemaid trying to look as calm as possible whilst holding her tea cup, but to her dismay, it seemed that her hand was slightly shaking. Impa stared at her with concerned red eyes beneath the stray white locks that escaped her tight, short ponytail.

"Everything is fine Impa, please there is no need to worry!" Zelda lied, quickly putting the cup of tea down and setting her nervous hands in her lap.

Impa raised a thin eyebrow at the young princess, "You sure about that your highness?"

Zelda already knew that her facial 'disguise' wasn't going to work against the Sage of Shadow. Impa was a master of detecting inner emotions… but that didn't mean Zelda was about to spill everything to her nursemaid.

'**_Just a dream… remember?' _**

'_What if it isn't?' _

'_**IT IS! Just relax! There really isn't anything to worry about! Geez… and you wonder why Link thinks you're a worry wart.' **_

'_I am NOT a worry wart!' _

'_**Yes you are! And you know it!' **_

"Princess… is there something you would like to talk about?" Impa asked. Zelda knew that Impa was just trying to help, but her inner self was right. What was there to worry about? It was just a dream… wasn't it?

"Uh… well… isn't this morning just beautiful?" Zelda said bringing the conversation away from her and her feelings. Impa sighed and replied, "Yes indeed it is princess."

There was a pause as both took a bite of their breakfast.

"And it is also a beautiful day to have the Hero come back from his little trip hmm?" Impa said smiling at the princess.

Zelda smiled along with Impa at the thought of Link finally coming home after a whole week of fretting over his well being, and not to mention other things.

"That boy better be alright or –"

"Zelda… please. The boy can take care of himself. You really shouldn't doubt his abilities." Impa interrupted reassuringly.

"It's not his abilities I'm worried about Impa."

"Oh? Then what are you worried about?"

Zelda mentally kicked herself for letting that fly out of her mouth, and she quickly formed another topic of conversation.

"W-what color of green is his tunic anyway?"

Impa raised her thin eyebrow once more, "Zelda… you're acting a bit… strange today. Are you sick at all?"

"No Impa… I'm fine… please there is nothing… and I mean absolutely nothing wrong with me today."

"Then why do you like changing the subject on me?"

"You didn't answer my question!" Zelda said raising a white gloved finger at the Sheikah's direction.

"And what question is that?" Impa said with a touch of annoyance in her powerful voice.

"What color of green is Link's tunic?"

The nursemaid just rolled her eyes and decided to go along with what the princess was asking, "I'd say… a forest green… why?"

"Oh… no reason… because I always thought it was just grass green."

"Grass green?" Impa asked, a smile playing at her corners.

"yes."

"Well, I suppose it will forever be disputed because I do believe it is forest green."

"No it's too light to be forest green… it has to be grass green!"

'**_You do realize this is the stupidest conversation in the entire world at this moment of time don't you?' _**

'_Yes, but it's getting away from what Impa wants me to talk about isn't it?' _

'_**Well… yes…' **_

"no no," Impa said furrowing her brows and shaking her head after taking a sip of her own tea, "It's too bright to be grass green. It's forest green."

"Couldn't I just speak for myself?" a new, deeper voice interrupted.

Both woman looked up from the dining room table and saw the Hero of Time with one hand against the door frame, his other around his hip, leaning to one side with his infamous smirk plastered on his face.

"Link!" Zelda said excitedly.

"It's just green, so stop worrying about it."

"She started the conversation…," Impa said, pointing toward the princess, "not I."

Link shrugged and calmly walked over to where Zelda was sitting, but the princess had other plans, as she abruptly got up from the fine dining chair and practically ran into the arms of the green clad boy. She quickly buried her face into the cloth of his tunic, smelling the familiar scent of the lost woods into her nostrils.

'Oh Goddesses I've missed that smell,' she thought.

"Geeze missed me much?" Link said looking down at the blonde haired princess crushing his ribs.

"I know... pathetic isn't it?" Zelda said playfully still holding tight to her hero.

"No kidding it was only a week…," Link mumbled hoping Zelda wouldn't hear, only to have his hopes crushed by getting smacked in his side by the princess.

"I already said it was pathetic… so don't rub it in!"

"Sorry sorry sorry!" Link quickly apologized.

Zelda looked into Link's endless blue eyes and just smiled sweetly, "You're fine now."

She detached herself from Link and they both headed for the dining table.

"So…," Zelda began as Link sat down. "Please do tell us what happened when you were away."

Link looked at the Sage of Shadow and the princess with a now serious look.

"Now that… is an interesting story."


	4. Chapter 3

**Oh wow… I'm so sorry guys. I was meaning to update a lot sooner than this. With school, Twilight Princess, and all this other stuff I've been really neglecting my fan fiction responsibilities… 0o **

**I've been working hard on an original work as well, so you can't all bite my head off mind you. **

**As per usual thank you for all these reviews, I pray that this rewrite is more of a success. **

**This chapter also reveals some other things I wanted to plug into the original storyline which I totally forgot to plug into the first version. This becomes apparent early on as you will soon find out. **

**So enough of my ranting, It's now time for you to READ! Oh and I don't own Zelda… because I got sucked into the dark world. Nintendo stole it from me… lol. **

**Chapter 3  
The Thief**

"The Soul Catcher," Link said making sure Impa and Zelda had his attention, "Is an artifact that was made long ago in Termina. It has the power to capture souls, and put them into something that doesn't have one."

Zelda wrinkled her nose, "So… you mean to say that this relic is evil?"

Link shook his head, "No. I didn't say it could steal souls, it just takes souls that are lost."

Impa folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, "So this item cannot be used by evil means?"

"I wouldn't say that," Link replied with a concerned look on his face, "When I got to the scene of where the burglary was, the mayor told me that there were always at least fifteen guards on duty to guard that thing; which says that this thing is very powerful. I asked the guardsmen what had happened, and they all said that the perpetrator had all knocked them out cold with a simple wave of the hand."

"So this person can use black magic…," Zelda mused, "But why would someone who delved into the dark arts want an artifact that can only do good?"

Link shrugged, "Not sure."

"So why have you come back if you have not found this doer of evil?" Impa asked with a thin eyebrow raised.

"Turns out that I tracked the little thief back to Hyrule," Link stated with obvious distaste, "What this person plans to do I'm not sure, but I'm hoping I catch him or her before anything drastic happens."

"Drastic as in, Hyrule gets taken over and you have to pull out your sword and do the hero thing?" Zelda asked bluntly resting her chin on her hand.

Link nodded.

"Better not involve me getting kidnapped…," The princess uttered under her breath, but the Sage of Shadow overheard and sent a glare her way. The Princess rolled her eyes.

"I doubt it will," Link said smirking, "I mean really this is a thief here –"

"So was Ganondorf," Impa and Zelda interjected.

"– And this person knows a little black magic –"

"So did Ganondorf, "the two sages repeated.

"– nothing bad is going to happen."

"That's what I said last time, and that somehow got the kingdom to rot for seven years," Zelda said darkly, pointing a finger at the hero and scrutinizing his overconfidence.

'_That's going to get him killed if he keeps thinking like that…' _

'**_You know what he's going to say to you don't you?' _**

'_Yes…,' _Zelda told herself begrudgingly.

'_**Don't-' **_

"Don't Worry Zelda," Link said, as if reading Zelda's mind. During her inner thinking he had got up out of his chair and walked over to the princess and put a calming hand on her shoulder, "nothing is going to happen. I'm better than that you know."

"Yes, I know, but it's just –"

"Zelda, R.E.L.A.X. Relax. It's just a thief."

"You know what I have to say to that comment don't you?" The princess asked flatly.

"Yeah I do, but it isn't going to stop me from doing my job."

Zelda scowled, but quickly let it go. Link was right after all. It was his job, and she couldn't do anything to stop him no matter what she said.

"Just," Zelda finally said, putting her trust into Link, "don't get yourself hurt."

The hero merely smiled, "That I can watch for."

Impa chuckled and she scooted her chair away from the table. She stood and folded her arms in her usual authority like manner, "You can trust Link to watch for those kinds of things Zelda. He'll be just fine," she turned her back to them and headed toward the exit, "I've got some things to do now, so I'll leave you alone to talk. But don't be long as I'm sure Link is eager to get this minor law breaker out of the way."

Impa walked toward the dining room doors and motioned for the guards to come, saying there was no need with Link around, and they all followed Impa out of the room. Both of the young Hylian's eyes watched the door as it shut and then they were alone.

"Finally…!" Link sighed exasperatingly, and he quickly delved down and kissed Zelda deeply. The princess sighed with content. They broke away for a moment and they smiled at each other.

"Were you really fighting all that time?" Zelda asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Hey, with all those guards and Impa around, there was no way in hell that I was going to give you the proper greeting. I'm just happy that we get to be alone now."

Zelda nodded happily, "I'm actually quite surprised that she left… usually she doesn't let me out of her sight."

Link smirked and showed his pearly whites, "It's because Impa trusts me I think… I mean, hey, I'm pretty formidable."

The princess laughed, "You're so full of yourself aren't you?"

Link looked up as if he was thinking and then he looked into Zelda's eyes once more and nodded. He then cupped her face with his hand and gave her a more delicate kiss than before. Their lips parted, and then Link took on a more serious expression than the one he had on a moment ago, "Impa doesn't know, does she?"

"No," Zelda replied, equally looking as concerned as he, "Nobody knows about us. Not yet."

"Right… you know, you are risking a lot just being with me… you know that don't you?"

"I've said it before and I will say it again, I didn't get this power of the Goddess Nayru for nothing," Zelda lifted up her right hand to show her triforce piece. It twinkled in the morning light that came through the windows of the dining hall, "I'm no fool."

"What… you're saying it was like… it's the Goddess's will for us to be together?"

"…maybe…"

Link rolled his eyes and he backed away from the Princess, a smile now returning to his features, "Unfortunately, Impa was right about me being eager to get rid of this thief… and I don't want to lose this guy's trail."

"Of course…," Zelda said a little sadly.

"It won't be a problem Zelda! It's basically a hop, skip, and jump to get rid of this criminal okay? I'll be back before dinner."

"Alright, alright…. I get it now. Hurry and do a good job and all that stuff." Zelda said making her hand do a flicking motion as if she were shooing him away, "You better be back before dinner… otherwise I'll come out to find you for myself got it?"

The hero rolled his eyes and gave the Princess a very sloppy salute whilst walking backwards toward the dining room doors, "I will be back my Princess… have I failed you yet?"

He gave a very low mocking bow taking off his long green hat in the process. He stuck it back on his blonde head when the bow was over and then turned around, opening the doors, "oh and by the way: I love the dress."

He then exited, leaving Zelda to stare as the doors shut. She then sighed and stared at her half empty plate of food. She poked at it absentmindedly with her fork, not daring to pick up what was probably now cold eggs.

Zelda scrunched up her nose, "I'm not hungry any more anyway…"

She pushed the plate away and then scooted back from the dining table, her chair screeching on the floor, and started to head toward the doors, but then she changed her mind as she turned to look at the bright morning coming in through the windows. Her direction veered toward the glass panes surrounded by red velvet and gold trimming, and her eyes peered out the window just as she saw Link riding on Epona toward Castle Town.

_Please come back safely… _

)(0)(

Link had remembered what Hyrule Castle Town looked like after his seven year slumber. Buildings burned, streets askew, statues crushed, trees dead from no sunlight and the only inhabitants where the ghostly remains of people who were turned into Re-deads by the Evil King's Magic. But the town had certainly recovered when Ganon fell at the hand of the Hero of Time. The city once more hustled and bustled with happy everyday life; shopping in the market place, women hanging up laundry on lines and their children playing in front of their houses, with dogs sometimes keeping a sharp lookout for any strangers. This scene had always made Link happy and for one good reason: it meant that there was absolute peace and serenity. Link never liked it any other way.

The hero smiled as he saw a group of children playing a game of ball with one another. It appeared they were trying to keep it away from a child in the center of the circle. Link inwardly chuckled as the kids continued to play their game, as they then started to pull off some tricky stunts. The ball quickly passed back and forth, over and under and up ad down around the child in the middle, who was trying desperately to catch the ball for all his worth.

"Some game…," Link said, amused by these children's skill at the ball.

One child did a bounce pass toward another, but the ball flew over the target's head and it rolled to Link's feet. The hero looked down at the ball and then he saw the flood of children trying to get to it. In the front of the little mob, was the boy who was in the middle of the circle. Link then looked down at the ball again, smirking and then picked it up with one of his hands and held it up, still showing his contagious grin.

The children stopped in their tracks not knowing whether to trust him, or just leave the ball for dead, but the child that was in the middle kept on running toward him, and stopped right in front of the hero with a hope filled expression.

"Hey Mister… could you… give me the ball?" The child's voice was very timid and small, along with his stature. The boy looked worn out from his time being the one in the middle, and Link decided to take pity.

"Of course," He said in a kind manner, handing him the ball, "Sense you asked so nicely and all."

The boy's face brightened and he took the ball after Link offered it to him.

"Say, what's your name? Mine's Link by the way…"

The boy looked at him oddly and then he looked around to see if anybody was watching.

"Don't worry. I'm a person you can trust." Link said smiling. His hand pointed toward the hilt of his sword, and the boy's face brightened again.

"Name's Mich… but my real name is Michael…," the boy replied, trying to hide his face behind the ball. Apparently he was very shy.

"Alright then Mich… I just need to ask a simple question," Link said a little more seriously, "Have you seen any suspicious characters around the main square lately? Any people in a big hurry?"

"Well, a lot of people are in a hurry around here Mr. Hero… sir."

"Well, you'd be right, "Link said thinking of a way to reword his question, "More like… they seemed more of in a hurry than what you usually see… like anyone you've never seen before around here?"

The boy scrunched up his features as if he was in deep thought, and then he looked back up at the hero, "I saw this strange lady… I overheard she was a fortune teller or something."

Link nodded as he processed the information given to him.

"Ah… thanks Mich. I'll keep an eye out. And thanks for your help." Link gave him a wink and waved as the boy named Mich ran off with the ball now in his possession. Link watched as the children ran after the boy and continued their game, with Mich no longer in the middle.

Link then sighed and continued on his path that he was originally on,"Fortune teller huh?"

Link folded his arms at the thought that those type were here. Fortune tellers didn't come around Hyrule. Business was horrible for them here, considering most Hylians were smarter than they looked, and magic was a big part of their past time.

The hero inwardly laughed.

_Well… if they haven't been to Hyrule before, than I suppose they wouldn't know that would they? _

Mich had given Link a good start, but now he had to guess where a fortune teller would set up their tent. The only problem was the guessing part.

"Where in all of Farore's green goodness am I going to find this…, " Link then remembered that Mich had referred the fourtune teller as a 'lady'.

"…women…," the hero finished.

His eyes found a stone bench and he walked toward it. He figured that if he got a chance to sit down and think, he would be able to put some puzzle pieces together. He sat himself down on the hard surface, and his head fell into his leather covered palms of his hands.

Hyrule Castle Town was the biggest city in all of Hyrule. Even Link himself had not explored every district and alleyway. If Link started to look down every street, every sub division and or cul-de-sac, it would take days (maybe even weeks) to find this fortune teller.

_That is way too much ground to cover… _

"Should've asked more questions, "He said out loud.

Link closed his eyes as he continued to think of what to do. There were not many other options other than _to _search every nook and cranny of Castle Town. But then… this fortune teller could leave even before his search was over.

Link sighed and opened his eyes, expecting to see the normal moving bodies of shoppers moving form open market to open market, but was instead, greeted by a cloaked figure, garbed in dark purple.

"Whoa!" Link gasped. He immediately stood up, and calmed down as he realized it was a woman standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry…, " she said in a strange mystic voice, "did I startle you?"

"For a minute there yeah… but I'm okay… sorry… did you want a seat?"

Link observed the new stranger. She was totally covered in the dark violet cloak. Only her eyes shown through, but even then, their violent purple irises seemed to match with the rest of her clothes.

The woman shook her head at Link's offer, "No… I was just passing by and I saw you. You seemed a little… sorrowful."

"Sorrowful? Oh hardly I was just thinking about things." Link said changing her observation of him.

"Hmm… my mistake I suppose," the cloak rustled a little, showing movement of her arms. It seemed she was folding them.

Link looked over her garb once more, "Say… you're not from the desert are you?"

"The desert? Oh no. I'm from beyond the Desert of Colossus… I live in the mountains to the far west."

"Really?" Link mused, "You're an awfully long way from home aren't you?"

"I'm only here on business, "the woman said flatly.

The hero raised an eyebrow, "What sort of business?"

The woman's eyes seemed to move up as if she were smiling, "I sell exotic things I find along my travels… children call me a fortune tell for the way I dress."

Link's face turned up to a minor surprise, "They call you a fortune teller huh? Wouldn't blame them I suppose," he then smiled.

He asked, "Do you by chance fortune tell at all?"

"You seriously don't believe in fortune telling do you?" The woman asked her smile still apparent on her face.

"You could amuse me I suppose…"

"I'm surprised a person at your age would be interested."

"Well, to tell you the truth I'm not, but like I said.. it would amuse me."

Link buffed his fingernails on his tunic and then looked at them, trying to act casual.

"What is really more interesting Is the wares I sell, " the woman chided.

"Oh soliciting are we?"

"Hardly, "she replied sourly, "I'm just making an offer."

"Well I'm sort of into the 'exotic items' thing too." Link lied. He could care less with the materials he had.

"Well then perhaps you would be interested into coming with me to my tent to browse?"

Link felt like dancing for his luck, "Sure, why not?"

"You best follow me, "The woman advised, "It's a bit of a tricky route."

"No problem, just lead the way," the hero said motioning his hand as if he was showing her out the door.

The women stepped away from the stone bench and she tilted her head in a fashion that said to follow her. Link obeyed, and walked closely behind the purple clad lady.

Link tried to keep his eye on her and his surroundings, but she was moving so swiftly that he had to keep up with her, otherwise he would lose her trail; but he was regretting that he wasn't checking his surroundings. They had turned so many times down so many unfamiliar streets, to the point where Link did not know where he was precisely. Why a woman wanted to put her business all the way down here was up to speculation. Link had his own idea

_She must have put her tent down here so no one could find her. She's either the culprit… or just a suspect. _

Link prayed that his assumption was right. They were now starting to get into an ugly part of town. No children roamed the streets with smiling faces, stray cats walked around minding their own business, and groups of scraggly clad people hung together talking of mischievous ideas. Some turned their heads and looked at Link in an ugly manner which told the hero one thing; he wasn't welcome here.

"Did you uh… did you really have to bring your business all the way down here?" Link asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Let's just say my line of work is not… appreciated by the good people of this city. My best customers come around here, so therefore I've moved my business wherever they go."

"Riiight…," Link said, his eyes going into thin slits, "…say. I never got your name."

"The name is Dismara… yours?"

"Link."

"Interesting name… but it matches for an interesting person."

"Thanks… same for you I guess."

Dismara finally stopped in front of a finely decorated tent, which matched the material of Dismara's cloak. She walked over and lifted the dark curtain to reveal the entrance to the colorful temporary home.

"Please… step inside," she said kindly. Link did as she asked and stepped into the tent.

The scent of the air changed almost automatically as incense and other herbs and spices made his nostrils flare. The scent made him fell a little more relaxed and not so edgy.

_It's more… brighter… than outside to say the least. _

Link looked around at the furnishings. Many astronomy trinkets gleamed with the low candle light that was in the tent, dark wood furniture such as a desk and two chairs were placed in the center, and many trunks lined the perimeter. On top of the trunks were many interesting devices which Link could only guess as to what they did. Some made noises, others seemed alive, and some looked rather dangerous.

_Geeze… does she have a permit for this stuff? _

"Well? What do you think?"

Link snapped out of his mind at the voice of the owner of the tent and his head veered to the entrance of the small encampment.

"Oh.. it's nice. Cozy."

"Would you like to sit?" Dismara moved toward one of the chairs and her hand offered him to sit.

"Well, sure. I am a little bushed from the walk here after all."

Dismara passed the desk and sat in another chair that was right across from Link's

"Would you like me to…. amuse you?" the woman asked, her eyebrow subtly raised.

"Only if you insist…," Link said smirking.

Dismara then slowly took off her dark violet hood and scarf to reveal her face. She had dark long hair that flowed down to the waist. The hair lined her high cheek boned face which contained the eyes that held the strong violet orbs that sucked Link into their depth. Her mouth was surrounded by beautiful blood red lips which shined in the candle light. Her hands, which had long black fingernails, placed the scarf down by her and then they went down below the desk. Her hands came back containing a crystal ball.

"So what will you tell me? Certain doom… a short life… anything life threatening?"

"Who knows. I make it different every time."

The woman placed the crystal ball in between them and placed the flat side of her hands onto the surface of the desk.

"Stay still will you?" She said, "Movement that is close by causes me to lose concentration."

Link nodded while rolling his eyes.

Her hands then hovered over the ominous crystal ball and she then began to chant words that were two inconspicuous to be understood.

Link continued to look at her and the crystal ball, but was unimpressed as it seemed nothing was happening. Over time her chant became more understandable as her voice became louder and louder, and the forming of her words became faster and faster.

_Wait a second… that's… _

Link waited a moment longer to see if anything was specifically happening… and Link spotted an eerie green light emitting off of strange designs on her body.

_That's no playful crap… that's magic…! _

Dismara's hair then began to billow in and out as an unseen force started to form around her. She then opened her eyes and they too were emitting off the strange light that was emitting off of her body. Her chanting was soon done and a wicked grin appeared on her features.

"SHIT!" Link cursed as he scooted away from the desk as fast as possible, and darted for the exit. But he was too late.

Dismara released her spell with a witch like cackle and strange dark like ropes flowed out of her hands and wrapped themselves around the hero, binding him and sending him to the floor. The ropes crawled around his ankles and hands, and then covered up his mouth to prevent him from causing too much noise.

The woman got up slowly from her chair and walked over to the now struggling Link. She bent down to his face, which was facing up at the roof of the tent and smirked, her red blood lips curving with the expression.

A long finger brushed some of Link's hair our of the way of his face.

"Tsk tsk tsk… I thought someone told you never to talk to strangers."

Her hand that had previously brushed the hero's hair then cupped his cheek and she put an amused expression on her face.

"My what a face… too bad I must use you for something else entirely."

She stepped away from Link and then came back with what seemed like a very heavy object. She swung it back, and then brought it colliding full force with the side of Link's head.

_Oh damn it… _

Link's vision blurred, and soon he faded into darkness.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

**Worries of a Troubled Mind**

Zelda knew a bad situation when she saw one. From her power, she could tell if there were too many numbers to be fought, too many traps to conquer over, or if the odds were just out right against them. She took comfort in that power, and held it dear for the fact that she could be the extra eyes for the sages… the extra eyes for Link, the hero, who had done so much for Hyrule. She took pride in the fact that she could actually be of use, and not be just someone else to protect. Just someone else to worry about loosing.

But, unfortunately, her powers were being no help to her what so ever.

It had been many hours since Link had left, and as he had gloated before, he said that he would be back by dinner. Dinner had rolled on by and not even a sign of him appeared. Not even one spec of green, no glint of his notorious smile, or a strand of his blonde hair was to be seen from him. Though she knew it was rather risky to say, "I'll be back before dinner," she knew that Link would make well on his promises. In fact every time he said a promise, it was eventually fulfilled… but this fact wasn't the thing that was bothering her the most.

She had taken a doze after reading a book in the library soon after Link had left, and the dream that she had of the mysterious woman, the temple of time, and Link terribly in trouble came back at her full force. She had remembered how more fierce it was, and much more vivid the images were. She could tell if a true event was coming closer, and sense she had that dream several times before, it was about time she took it seriously.

After the dream she had run up into her room, and did not leave until dinner had come, and gone, and then since Link had not returned, she went strait back into her room. She contemplated the idea that she might just be having one of her worry wart sessions. Just another anxiety attack… but something was prompting her otherwise.

_Oh WHY do I have to recognize things when they're too late… or just about unfold… it isn't useful at all! Why does it have to happen this way? What if it's happening now? Wait a minute of COURSE it's happening now… otherwise I wouldn't feel so urgent to just run out and FIND him! OH GODDESSES! I don't even know where to start looking! Where, where, where, where, WHERE? _

Zelda's anxiety was now reaching its limit. Over the course of her mental ranting, she knew that in the hours that Link had been gone, something terrible had happened. And she _absolutely _knew that it wasn't her nerves. It was her triforce telling her this. That was certain.

Though, her wisdom was telling her about a misfortune that had befallen her hero, she did not know what it was. She knew it had something to do with her dream; otherwise she probably wouldn't have had any clue of where to search, or what to do when she found what the problem could be.

She stopped walking for a moment and looked down at her right hand and then hissed at it, "Come on… at least tell me _something!_ I know he needs me now but what for?"

She shook her hand vigorously, letting her fingers bash up against each other, hoping that it would actually do something to make the power of wisdom tell her something. But to no avail. She growled in frustration, and then continued her worried strait path back and forth, until she spotted Impa's form resting in the door frame of the Princess's chambers.

Zelda abruptly stopped her repetitive path, and looked at the Sage of Shadow with a shocked expression, "Impa! I… how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," the sage replied, a serious look in her eyes, "What is wrong Zelda? You know you should express anything that is bothering you to the rest of the sages... or at least the one closest to you."

At first, Zelda said nothing as if she were caught with her hand in a cookie jar. She was afraid, that if she told Impa about her worries, her nurse maid would just shrug them off as petty nerves going out of her control. But then, she realized that this was no time to be stalling, and that she had to tell Impa her feelings. In fact, the Triforce commanded her to.

"Impa," she stated her nurse maid with much urgency, "Link is in trouble. I don't _think_, I _know_. Something has happened, or will happen to him if we don't hurry and search for him. With all haste, call the sages… I'm going to hurry and search for him myself. And make sure Nabooru comes here the fastest. She can sense spirits; most of all Link's, and I have a feeling we're going to need it."

Impa instantly seemed to understand the Princess's urgency and without a words hesitation to the Princess's orders, Impa swiftly bowed," Of course Princess… I will call as quickly as I can. I shall meet up with you later."

Zelda was grateful for the response. She knew that she could always count on Impa's 'do first, ask questions later' type of attitude. Once Impa left the room however, Zelda wasted no time in leaving at the same speed that the Sage of Shadow had. She knew she had little time…

But she did not know how much time she had left.

)(0)(

_How could anything ruin tonight? Everything is perfect! "Don't underestimate them?" HAH! This was the easiest thing I have done in years! _

_How easy!_ The witch thought, _How simple! _She cried in her mind.

_If I hadn't seen the sword I would have considered him an idiot rather than a hero…_

_But I guess handsome men can't always be… intelligent… _

Dismara smirked at the now captive hero, who seemed lifeless on top of the black marble stone of the alter in the Temple of Time. Though she was busy preparing for what she had to do, she could not help but look at him… longingly… on occasion.

She sighed in a mockingly sad way after one of her preparations was done, and kneeled down by the Hero's head. She placed her elbows by the side of his ears, and starred down into his closed eyes, which made the illusion that he was in a peaceful sleep.

"It's a shame really…," Dismara said in a seductive voice, "You really are a looker. But… unfortunately," Dismara bent down and went up next to one of his ears, "It's necessary, and you're going to have to bare with it."

She completed her statement by lightly biting at the end of his ear. The hero gave no response as Dismara expected, considering he was hit with a metal replica of the goddess of Nayru… of course, it wasn't like the gash on the side of his head wasn't evidence of that.

"I suppose I should have bandaged that up for you… but in the end it isn't going to matter, so I'm not going to be doing you any favors."

Her words of course fell on dead ears, as no response came. Dismara, however, chuckled as if he had said something that amused her.

"Too bad! So sad. It won't help you anyway, so just bleed like a good little hero, and no whining."

She knew it was to amuse her as the time went on in preparing the spell. There was no need to hurry. She had all the time in the world after all. No one knew what had happened, or at least nobody that cared, and no one who was close to him could have had any idea of what was about to take place.

"Personally this errand was too easy, " she said snickering, applying a strange essence to her hands that glittered in the low light of the Temple of Time, "I was hoping for more of a challenge."

After the strange substance was applied, she went over to a bag of things that she had brought, which was by the side of the alter. It was black and velvet, not to mention large, and held many objects in it's depths. One of the witch's hands dove into the opening of it, and enclosed on something that seemed to occupy most of the space of the bag. She slowly pulled it out, revealing a long rod attached to a glass ball. The ball itself wasn't large, but it was large enough to contain several things at once. The rod was long, and the handle was a dark blue with gold trimming that had several designs of the triforce, and of the great guardian phoenix. Other decorations included symbols of the soul and the symbols of good and evil. The object could only be described as beautiful, and it contained a certain ability to enchant you with it's enticing high value. To Dismara, the height of the rod was about the size of a walking cane, and she used it as such as she walked over closer to the body of the hero, who still did not know his own whereabouts.

"My plan shall be full proof. And if anything does happen to go wrong… which it won't… you my little pretty shall come quite in handy," Dismara said, smirking like an eel.

The tool seemed to glisten in agony at what she had said, as if it had a life of its. As if it had its own free will. But of course, a cool can do nothing but obey its master's orders.

"Now then… let us start shall we?"

Dismara walked around the alter, in which she was now facing the alter in full. Candles where randomly placed around her, and lit; the wax of the candles now dripping to the floor indicating that they had been burning for some time now. She stood in what seemed to be the center of the strange placement of the candles, and she put her hands together, ready to chant the spell that needed to be done.

"Let this night be your last hero…"

Link still remained motionless… unaware that the events to take place were out of his hands now.

)(0)(

**Well, that's all I can really do for now. I wanted to update you guys with part of chapter 4, due to my lack of updates and stuff. I HAVE BEEN BUSY! This new school that I'm going to is quite demanding, and I have ACT's to think about, art things to finish (yes I draw) and an original story to write. (along two other fanfictions that in works in progress) But I'm not going to tell you about those ;) **

**I am very sorry for these long delays, but hopefully you'll forgive me once I get back to regular writing schedules, and start updating more often. I was lucky for I had a four day weekend to type up a few chapters in the roughs. **

**Thanks for being so patient guys. Really you are the best. **

**And if you wish to harp on me (which by all means do) Send an e-mail or just a review. E-mail is it was so short, but I'm ALIVE!!!! I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU YET!! **


	6. Chapter 5

**WOO! Sorry for the long wait guys. A lot of stuff has been going on, and now my life has finally freed up a bit. I know all of you have been anxiously waiting and stuff, so I hope this chapter feeds you to your delight… for now anyway ; ) **

**As always, I'm delighted with all of your reviews, and your positive support to make sure I keep on going with this thing. The plot will start to come in now, so things will be getting a lot more exciting! HURRAY! **

**So, without further ado, please read on, **

**Oh and if any of you would wish to email me… here's the address… so you can harp on me to write faster. Lol **

**Dragonlover13 msn . com (without the spaces of course) **

**Chapter 5 **

**Scattering of the Flock**

Nabooru sat in the sand near the Gerudo Fortress, which was nestled between two cliffs on the eastern part of the Gerudo Desert. She had been keeping her watch on one of the many roofs that topped the structure, when she decided to just sit down and take a small break. Not that she was avoiding her duties; Nabooru still kept her violet eyes on the entrance of the fortress, which was a little canyon that led to the Gerudo Valley.

She took up one of her hands and moved her many layers of flaming red hair away from the front of her body. An easy task, considering it was in a massive pony tail. Her long spear stood strait and tall into the air as she held it close to her body with her right arm. Though she seemed relaxed, anyone one who knew Nabooru quickly learned that even in a passive pose, she could send you to the floor in mere seconds. She was Gerudo after all.

For a moment she took her gaze off of the only entrance and gazed west to the Desert of Colossus. It was a massive basin of wind and sand. Even from here she could see the countless dust devils and wind storms that constantly plagued it's ocean of gold and brown. But even with the sandstorms in the way, Nabooru could still just make out the Spirit Temple from her vantage point, and the Sun setting in the far west behind the temple. It was a truly beautiful sight to behold. It was one of the rare things that were special about the harsh lands of the desert.

The sun slowly sank down and the Sage of Spirit internally shuddered as she remembered that once the sun went down, it got a bit colder. She rolled her eyes at not remembering to bring a blanket; at least, to help her fight the last bits of warm wind being replaced by unheated air.

"Should have known sense I was taking night shift…," Nabooru outwardly thought, rubbing her temples at her own ignorance. She then decided to just stay there and keep watch and not to worry about it. But as the winds still began to drop in temperature…

_Maybe I'll ask someone else to stand watch till I come back with something warmer…._

She decided to go with what she stated and stood back up on her feet and was just about to go inside into the fortress, when a bright flash of purple light flared brilliantly behind her. Nabooru reacted instantly, her hands on the smooth staff of the spear, and her muscles tensed, ready for anything. Though, once she saw who it was, her muscles loosened to see that her eyes only rested on the famous Impa, the Sage of Shadow.

"Impa…," Nabooru breathed, not noticing she had held her breath, "What… wasn't expecting you here."

The Sheikah merely smiled, "No one usually does."

"What has brought you to the fortress this night?" Nabooru asked, finally placing her spear's butt end on the ground.

"Urgent and troubling news is what brings me here," Impa said casually. Nabooru's eyebrows rose up in question.

"Troubling eh?" She replied, "Well you have my ears. I bet it's more interesting than guard watch."

Impa's facial features slowly went back to a frown again, getting back in her Sheikah mask she wore when she told bad news, "It appears that Link is in trouble."

"Link?" Nabooru scoffed, "Trouble? Hah! The boy is always in trouble…"

Impa's face stayed in it's stony like expression. A sign stating that the Sheikah was serious, and that the trouble at hand was something to be very worried about.

"Oh…," Nabooru said to the Sage of Shadow, "He… really is in trouble…"

The Sheikah nodded gravely.

"Do we know what his trouble entails?" Nabooru said with a bit of a hopeful glint.

"Not exactly," Impa replied quickly, moving her hands behind her back, "In fact we haven't even found him… yet. This is why I have come here in the first place."

Nabooru's eyebrows went even higher than she thought they could go. Apparently this was more serious than it appeared from the outside. When another sage was needed was always a bad sign.

"What do you need me for?" Nabooru said, her tone set to a business like manner.

"We need you to locate Link with your spirit prowess. He has been lost within the gates of our own Castle Town, and Zelda can't seem to trace him."

"Has Zelda already gone to look for him?" The Sage of Spirit asked, now looking concerned. How could Link be lost in Zelda's territory?

"Yes… but we must make all haste, seeing as she is only one person, and she cannot cover all of Hyrule Castle Town in a mere night."

"Then we better go now," Nabooru stated, her grip now tightening on her spear, "Let's waste no more time."

With that, both the Sage of Shadow and Spirit vanished in a light of violet and orange.

)(0)(

The Princess ran down the cobbled streets of Castle Town with urgency in her Sheik guise. She was much faster as Sheik than she was as Princess Zelda. Not to mention the princess of all of Hyrule did not just decide to step out for a little walk on a random basis.

She felt like she had been running around for hours trying to find Link in the maze of stone buildings in the main part of town. It would take nearly forever for her to look into every nook and corner just to find one person, and now that it was dark, it made things a lot more difficult to spot people she could recognize.

She stopped running for a moment and hid herself in the shadows of a home not far from the Town Market in the near center of the great city. She had done this twice already, trying to make her Triforce of Wisdom to activate, but it didn't seem to be telling her where she needed to go, which was causing her temper to rise at dangerous levels.

"Come on you stupid piece of holy scrap metal… do something!" She hissed out loud at her hand.

'_**You know, I thought you out of all people would know that if you called people mean names they wouldn't do anything for you." **_

'_Oh well you know, the Triforce sooo has FEELINGS!' _

'_**I'm just saying the facts.' **_

'_Then how can I make this stupid thing WORK! I don't have TIME to be running around like a mad idiot like this!' _

She tried looking desperately at the options in front of her. She could stop now, wait for the Sage of Spirit and Impa to come which would waste more valuable time, OR she could continue searching and hope that luck was on her side.

She knew the rationality of the later option was a bit… thin, but it seemed like the better option to just keep on looking and to not waste what little time she did have left. Her connection with the Goddesses was telling her that much. She had unconsciously seemed pressed with time for no apparent reason.

Without more second thoughts, she continued into the nearly deserted Market Square. Some people were left, but all of them seemed to walking back to their homes. Zelda unknowingly sneered at them from under her shawl. She was annoyed by the fact that nobody seemed to notice that the people's one and only hero was missing and probably in need of desperate help, and all they seemed to be doing was walking around doing absolutely nothing.

However she knew she couldn't blame them anyway. She was beginning to panic, and when she started to do so, she always began to blame others. A nasty habit for a Princess.

She walked briskly over to the fountain in the center of the Market plaza, and craned her head every which way to see if she didn't find a spot of a green tunic, or a hilt of a very important sword behind someone's back.

Nothing even related to that was spotted anywhere around the vast space of the Market. The Plaza was deserted now, save for the few dogs that ran around.

She lifted her right hand up to her face again.

"I don't get it…," she hissed, staring at the back of her hand in confusion, "One moment you're telling me that he's in trouble and I should find him, and the next you're not telling me where ever the hell he is!"

She received no response like she was hoping.

"UGH!" She cried out, her voice carrying over to a few buildings and people a short distance away, "What am I supposed to DO?"

She begrudgingly sat down on the side of the fountain and buried her head into her tense hands. It was being obvious now that she needed help in finding Link, and right now she was alone. The two sages had not shown up yet, and Zelda was starting to go a little bit beyond panic. Though she tried to calm herself, she couldn't help the fact that her imagination was starting to get the best of her. And when the princess was in panic, her imagination was very pessimistic.

She moaned, getting the startling images of finding Link dead or dying out of her mind and looked toward the spires of the Temple of Time. A flitter of hope rose in her chest looking at the great building. Link always went there often due to his duties as Hero of Time, and also in his spare free moments in which he wanted some peace and quite to himself. He had always said that he loved listening to the invisible chore, continuously chanting the melody of the Song of Time in it's halls. He said that it soothed him when he felt angry, or sad. When he came out he would always feel better and back to his old cheery self after maybe a few minutes in the structure. Zelda longingly looked at the Temple and began to wonder if maybe the soothing melody would also bring calm to herself. If it had helped Link, would it help her in turn?

She stood up and peered at the spires once more, and then her eyes darted to the windows which were showing light through them…

A rather unfitting image for the Temple of Time, seeing as it was always deserted.

Zelda had been into the Temple of Time before and knew full well that no one went in or out, save for herself and Link… and the sages from time to time. She also knew that no lighting fixtures adorned the Temple's walls. The Temple itself needed no light sense it somehow magically created its own, which usually created a soft glow through the glass… and now the windows were abnormally bright.

"Is someone in there?" Zelda thought.

At first she thought it could have been Impa and Nabooru landing in the temple, but she remembered that the light that they emitted were rather different shades. Not to mention it probably wouldn't have been that bright. It also could not have been Link, sense Link just went in there when he felt like it, and never needed a candle of any sort if he took a nightly visit.

All in all, the light seemed odd, and not part of the Temple of Time at all.

'**_Perhaps that would be a good sign to go and investigate further… wouldn't you say?'_**

'_I'm getting to it… just hush up for now!' _

Zelda hastily jogged over to the stone steps that led up to the Temple of Time's doors. They were closed, but she could still see the eerie light that she saw through the windows just moments before now being emitted through the cracks of the great oak doors. It wasn't a constant light however… like that of a candle, but rather the light that lightning made when it hit the ground. It made quick pulses and then vanished, and soon it repeated the process.

"What in the world?" Zelda's voice trailed off as the light then died off.

Wasting no more time, Zelda finally had it and brought her hands to the hard surface of the doors. She pushed all she could, but soon discovered that they would not budge at all.

"This is fantastic…," she uttered.

She gave the doors a good shove again, but, as before, they did not budge an inch. Feeling a little exasperated, she took a few steps back and then sprinted toward the door, her shoulder adjacent to the oak surface. She closed her eyes and prepared for impact, but instead of hitting the hard surface she thought she would run into, she instead tackled over something that emitted sounds.

She felt herself fall over the mass that she had run into and heard many, "oofs," in the process of doing so. Her body fell head over heels and rolled to the side away from the door, but quickly got up and unsheathed a hidden knife from one of her sleeves to face who had ever got in her way. Her eyes placed themselves on not one, but two people, who, liker her, got up quickly with their weapons out, probably wondering the same thing she was.

"Impa?" Zelda gasped, "Nabooru?"

"Nice to know that we ran into each other Sheik," Nabooru chided, lowering her spear.

Zelda had almost coughed at the name of Sheik, but remembered that when she was in her disguise as her male and rogue counterpart, the sages called her by her second name for her safety… which was good because that meant that the other two sages seemed to be more calm than she was.

"What were you trying to do?" Impa asked, rubbing one of her thighs as if it ached. Zelda gave her nursemaid and apologetic look with her one red eye that was visible under all of her now ragged blonde hair.

"I was trying to get the Temple of Time's door to open, but it wouldn't seem to budge…," the Princess replied, now feeling the places where she had collided with the ground on. It seemed her thigh was aching as well.

"It's a good thing you were here then…," Nabooru stated.

"Why's that?" Zelda asked the Sage.

"We first arrived at the castle so I could try and locate Link, and it seems that he has been here."

"Well that's great… now that we finally know where he is, how do we get the blasted door open?"

"I wager we just bust it open and sweep the boy off his feet." The Sage of Spirit said all too happily, which didn't match the rest of the situation.

Impa looked at her with a scrutinizing look but a flicker of agreement in her eye stated that she had complied –somewhat-with Nabooru, "She's right… chances are, Link's captor already knows we're here anyway. We might as well make ourselves known."

"Good of a plan as any at the moment," Zelda complemented, once more facing the oak door of the Temple.

"We'll all charge on three… got it?" Impa commanded, her voice of authority now exploiting it's usefulness. Zelda steadied herself along with Nabooru, who actually looked… excited in an unpleasant sort of way, "One," Impa began, she herself getting ready, "two… THREE."

As one, the group of three charged and all but threw all of their mass onto the door, which gave in immediately. They all slightly stumbled in and danced on their toes for a moment, but soon straitened themselves up and all three pairs of eyes looked ahead toward the alter of the Temple of Time.

The Princess, being the resourceful information gatherer that she was, noticed that the Temple of Time was rather… dimmer… than she had remembered. But she paid no heed and continued to stare to the end of the chamber.

She spotted a familiar hint of green, which Zelda instantly saw as Link.

_Thank goodness he's alive… _

However, as her eyes moved over to another figure…

It was at that moment that Zelda's dream hit her with full force:

_Zelda slightly turned so she could see the Temple of Time's alter near the end of the building, and gasped in horror at what she saw. _

_Link was lying against it, bound by chains of magic, struggling to get away from a woman. _

_Zelda then looked at the woman herself, and studied her features intensely. She had waist long, black, wavy hair that she did not tie back, nor seem to mind to comb. The hair framed a pale, high cheek bone face which held blood red lips and velvet eyes to match the woman's ferocity in her appearance. Her clothes did not help much either, as they were very form fitting until it hit her hips, in which a large dark purple gown grew out from a dark navy sheer over layer. Her arms were covered in the same fabric that went all the way over her wrists, but her arms were still visible, and through the fabric, Zelda could see tattoos made in black ink… they were symbols of enhancing dark powers. _

Zelda refocused her eyes and shook her head slightly. The same exact woman was standing by the alter… who was occupied by Link. Of course, those two wasn't the only thing that worried her. Around the strange woman and alter, there were many candles which were lit. A putrid color of wax, which almost seemed like the color of the dead, had oozed onto the floor, and as the candles still burned, new wax was finding its way to the black and white stone floor of the Temple of Time, making new embellishments to the designs that the hardened 'liquid death' invented. Also, there were other various things that had been scattered around, but they didn't seem important considering it had been haphazardly placed, unlike the candles.

As Zelda looked more curiously however, she noticed that it looked like some scene in some obscure ritual.

'_Link!' _

"Does it hurt Hero?" the woman said as slowly and painfully as possible. Her voice matched her figure perfectly; it reeked of poison and evil, ready to kill any good in the world as she saw fit to do so.

Zelda soon realized that now her dream was replaying now in reality, and was no longer a nightmare. Her dream had predicted this event, and it now was coming true. Strangely enough, Zelda felt frozen, as if she couldn't move, all though she very well knew that she could.

She had to get Link before that woman began to do whatever she was going to do to him.

Link did not reply, but only continued to struggle against the magic. Zelda was startled by his expression… he looked… frantic.

'_**Call! Call out to him you idiot!' ** _

"How does it feel?" the woman said mockingly down at the green clad boy, "How does it feel to actually lose?"

She cackled as Link slowly looked up at her and scowled.

Zelda scowled herself, seeing that the woman had not yet noticed her presence.

"You will gain nothing… your plan won't work…," Link suddenly said, albeit a little off. His voice sounded a little cracked.

"Oh will it now? I see doubt in your eyes Hero… do I sense… fear? Anguish? Even… doubt?"

Zelda turned to look at Impa and Nabooru, who too had the same look of confusion on their faces. Other than the fact that this was their first time seeing this event, Zelda was sure that they were suspicious of why this woman had not heard them when they came in.

"You don't see anything through your cold eyes witch." The hero said spitefully. His glare that he was giving her would have sent shivers down Zelda's spine if he was looking her way.

"Heh… you think you're still in control? Look at you… a poor foolish boy waiting for his demise."

The Princess in her drag grabbed the attention of Impa and both starred at each other. Zelda mouthed to her if the woman had heard them, and Impa shook her head. The Sage of Shadow then motioned for all of them to at least try to sneak up to the alter. Zelda only prayed to all three of the Goddesses that they would get close enough to actually be in attacking distance of her.

The group of three started their silent charge, making sure that their feet wouldn't make too much noise. One false move and their only advantage would be over and done with. If they wasted this chance, Zelda figured that there wouldn't be much of a fight.

Zelda's eyes strayed from the floor going up to the alter. Another odd thought hit Zelda as she now noticed that Link had not noticed their – what she had thought – rather loud intrusion into the Temple. Then again, Link was bound by magic, and probably had his entire focus set on the woman who was obviously trying to kill him. Or something else equally horrible.

'_Stop… don't think things like that. Concentrate at the task at hand, and Link will soon be fine, and everything will be back to-' _

Oh how she wished she had not mentally said that.

Just as the team was about to gain in at attacking distance, the woman turned around to try and retrieve something and then she spotted the three in ridiculous positions, crawling on the floor.

"What in all of Hell's fire…?" the witch said to herself more than to anyone else in the vicinity, but it was heard by her captive none the less.

"Zelda…?" Link uttered in disbelief… and what seemed to be in great panic.

"Oh shit…," Nabooru cursed slowly, making herself stand up casually as if she was just trying to sneak up on a friend to scare. The Sage of Spirit's behavior certainly puzzled Zelda, sense the Gerudo acted so natural in all situations.

Right now Zelda wished she felt as confident when she stood up, albeit a bit shaky still from the fact that they were seen. Impa stood up with Zelda, but she, by far, looked ten times more courageous than what the Princess was feeling. Then again, Impa was a Sheikah, and the race hid their emotions as if they were weighed down by lead.

The witch's look of surprise quickly turned into a Cheshire cat sneer, and her hands came up in a battle like position, her fingers curved and tense.

"Well, well, well…," she suddenly said, her grin not leaving her face, "Looks like the hero has some friends after all."

Zelda immediately tensed along with Impa and Nabooru who had grabbed their adorned weapons. The Princess felt fairly bare, seeing as she only had a few quick throw daggers, but she figured that it would have to make due. Impa and Nabooru were a more powerful force in physical combat anyway.

"Let him go," Zelda instantly said, her eyes trying to bore into the witch's revere.

"Such a simple request, but unfortunately for you, I'm not giving him back to you until I'm done here, "her grin widened even further, "After that maybe you can have him."

The Princess saw Nabooru's face harden, along with Impa's. The Sage of Spirit had a livid expression on her face, reserved for the fighting resolve of a Gerudo.

"Let the boy go," Nabooru said, her knuckles becoming white with her grip on her spear, "Or you'll end up as mince meat."

The woman nearly laughed, "I highly doubt that."

"Why are you so confident?" Impa asked smoothly, her iron resolve reflecting her fearlessness, "You are technically three to one. Even with great skill, you cannot easily defeat what odds are against you."

The witch merely chuckled, "Is that what you think is it?"

Zelda raised her eyebrow at the woman in front of her. There was no way she could act so confident with three enemies in front of her. Zelda glanced around, trying to discover any traps, but nothing seemed too suspicious to her eye. She did, however, manage to catch eye contact with Link who still looked a little shaken, yet there seemed to be a bit of hope in his eyes at their appearance. He still struggled with his bonds, though Zelda knew it was probably to no avail. He was just tiring himself out.

Link was about to say something out loud to her, but then it seemed like he backed off at the idea once he made a glance back to her. It seemed like he didn't want to gain her attention. Understanding this, Zelda glanced at the witch quickly, who seemed to be abosorbed in an argument between Impa and Nabooru. Her eyes then quickly darted back, to discover that Link was moving his lips back and forth, his mouth closed.

_What in the world is he doing? _

Link then stopped, and then took in air and… spit in front of him… which collided with….

A barrier.

_So that's what that light was… _

The woman seemed to notice Link's little trick, and only laughed as she saw the saliva start to slowly run down to the floor. Impa and Nabooru noticed it also, with confused expressions.

"So it seems you have found my reason for rejoicing…," The woman said calmly.

Zelda, out of anger, threw one of her daggers at the invisible, only to watch it smash against it, and fall to the floor uselessly, "You curd…"

"As I was saying before…," The woman continued as if she had not heard the Princess, "A little boy only waiting for his demise…"

"Not while I still have some control," Link retorted in a quiet voice which was full of deep hate for the witch, "You won't get away with it."

"I already have foolish child."

The witch stood poised once more in front of Link, and her hands, which were still in the same ready posture, fell to her waste, and she began to chant in indescribable phrases. Her low voice echoed off the walls of the seeming silent Temple of Time. The main room soon began to grow darker and darker as her words progressed through the spell, which caused the sages to look around as if something else was causing it. Link looked rather alarmed from his position, still helplessly fidgeting to get away from the dark bonds around him.

Zelda suddenly knew what was about to happen next, and without thinking, she ran up to the invisible barrier and slammed against it, trying to break it with her fists. Even though she was a sage, even though she was a barer of the Triforce, she knew she could not break it. Somewhere deep down inside told her that it was impossible now.

It was also too late. She already knew, but that didn't stop that fact that she didn't want for it to happen. So she continued to bang on the magical glass.

_No, no, no. no. NO! _

The witch's chanting ended, and dark black smoke appeared around her, and soon they grew wicked like hands that bore long sharp fingernails and boney knuckles.

"Seems like you get to have the pleasure of watching your hero lose," the spell caster said with an evil smile.

She outstretched her arms over the Hero of Time's body and craned her hands downward, sending her newly summoned minions to assault him.

"This won't hurt… much."

The black hands dived down into Link's, which made him instantly stop struggling, and made him start to cry out from the back of his throat. His blue eyes went wide as the magic parasites started to what seemed like… digging into him. Though… it wasn't physical…

To Zelda's slight relief –but still in horror- the hands seemed to be looking for something that only they could see.

Though the hands weren't physically hurting Link, the Hero still seemed very uncomfortable as they continued their unseen attack on him, his cries of protest going unheard by the witch, who was watching in complete and utter delight.

"That's right…," The woman cooed, "There is what I need."

The hands stopped their attack on the hero, and slowly all of them came out holding on to the same object:

A beautiful, small, perfect, and glowing sphere of white light.

Link's moans stopped as the hands exited where they entered, their prize now being tightly held up to their master.

"That's right… that is all I need…," the witch exclaimed, her greedy fingers ready to touch it.

"What in the world…?" Nabooru trailed off.

_Wait.. this was the part when.. _

"No…," Link weakly said, his eyes becoming clouded over, "You won't get your chance Dismara…"

"What?" The witch said, nearly touching the glowing sphere with her fingers.

The apparently named Dismara did not get a reply however, as Link had now raised his right hand, which had somehow escaped his black ropes.

"What are you doing?" Dismara said in quick suspicion, furrowing her brow. She was obviously not suspecting this.

Once more, no reply came. This time, her answer was received as a faint glow from his right hand soon grew into a light far greater than that of the white sphere. The light was gold, and it lighted the once darkened halls of the Temple of Time. The hands that had held the strange object practically melted from the light and fell to the floor in twitching agony.

"What is this?!" Dismara hollered, the object now quickly drifting away from her fingers. The glowing sphere rested high above Link, where his arm was outstretched. The golden light then gathered itself into a fine beam, which entered the ball of light at high speed.

The sages and Zelda stood wide eyed as the white sphere began to literally crack. Golden sparks fell to the floor as a fine golden line that now ran along the surface began to spread across. An inner light now shone through the sphere, making the white sphere seem quite dim in comparison to everything else.

"NO!" The witch shouted, "NO!!"

"LINK!" Zelda suddenly cried out, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! LINK!"

The hero turned his head at Zelda, and merely smiled as the light creating the crack in the sphere had completed it's round trip, and the sphere seemed unsteady, and it's outer molding seemed weak and ready to shatter.

"By the Goddesses…" The two sages muttered.

The white sphere then shattered, and eight more spheres, now in different shades of the color spectrum floated in a circle around the golden beam. They flew upward, and spun in a circle one more time before each of them went into a separate direction. Into the invisible cardinal directions: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, and West.

Dismara practically made an inhuman scream of furry and dashed up next to the Hero, whose arm had gone limp during the strange turn of events.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!!! WHAT DID YOU DO YOU IDIOT!!!"

She received no reply.

She groaned and ran over to her things and picked them up, including a rather strange instrument and she vanished without a word in a cloud of black smoke.

With her gone, the invisible barrier disappeared without her energy to keep it up, and Zelda immediately ran to Link's side and cupped his face gently so she could see him.

"Link. Link, come on snap out of it… LINK!"

Even when she asked, he still gave no response.

Zelda looked deep into his eyes. His blue, endless eyes. Or what she thought were endless.

His eyes had turned dark and foreboding. No longer did she see the shine and luster of life in them. All she saw now were bottomless pools of dark ocean with nothing in them. His un-dilated pupils nearly matched their lifeless irises.

But though he did not respond, Zelda saw the calm rise and fall of his chest. As if he were merely in a calm, dreamless sleep.

_What have you done? _


	7. Chapter 6

**Okay… sorry for the long wait for such a short chapter like chapter 6… it was just one of those chapters you know? I hate preporation stuff in stories, and preparation stuff in stories hate me… so… there ya go. **

**I promise that Chapter 7 will come much more quickly than this chapter did. Action is more of my cup of tea then well.. this chapter. **

**Hopefully you'll still enjoy, and I promise Chapter 7 will come… **

**Oh and please review. I really do like it when people tell me how I'm doing and how I make them feel with my writing. It motivates me a lot. Anyway, on with the chapter! **

**Chapter 6 **

**The Plan of Action **

It was practically lifeless in the room in which Zelda sat, merely staring off into the distance from her chair. The only nuisance was the ticking of an old clock, which counted away the fleeting seconds from the new morning. As the minutes rolled on, the princess just continued to sit with her hands limply hanging in her lap, her normally strait shoulders sagged, and her bright eyes dull from lack of sleep and expulsion of tears. She was not alone in the room however, as she was sitting next to a bed with a very familiar person resting in it. Though, Zelda would hardly call it resting.

Link was on the bed with his eyes half open, still dull and lifeless, but despite that, his chest still rose and fell with the sound of the clock. But even though it was apparent that he was alive, he hardly seemed so otherwise. Besides his chest, his appendages were like stone; unmoving and unbending to anything. His face was that of hard marble; cold and passive, like an echo of the warning that Zelda failed to address. The sage could not bare to look at Link… not after what had happened.

She had tried everything to wake him up. She tired talking to him. Nothing happened. She tried shaking him. No response. She even smote him across the cheek. He was as unmoving as ever. She even attempted to call him through her powers, but she gained no signal of his presence. He was empty. A mere lifeless shell among life.

After several more bouts of shaking his limp figure, Nabooru had to tell Zelda to stop in order not to hurt the body. Zelda questioned this, thinking that he was merely asleep, or dazed, but Nabooru had shook her head with a stern expression upon her face, saying that he wouldn't be snapping out of it anytime soon. His soul had left his mortal body, but not the mortal realm.

And it was her fault. She knew it.

She had constantly asked herself after they returned to the castle with Link, why had she not told him? Why had she, as leader of the sages, done her duty and told someone about that warning? Was it because she was ignorant? Was she not trying her hardest?

The answer was plain and simple to her. The answer that she gave to herself was because she was afraid. It was fear that had stopped her. That and a combination of reluctance. The two feelings combined were deadly for her messages that she received from the Goddesses… but was it something that was supposed to be prevented? Or something that was required to happen? Whether or not, she did not know, and the feeling of failure was surrounding Zelda like a shroud of fog on a moonless evening. It was slowly engulfing her, eating her up inside, tearing her inner self like a wolf to a deer carcass.

She was grateful that when the sages, Link, and she had returned that the sages decided to leave her alone after they placed Link on the bed. She was not in the mood for long meetings with anyone. Zelda knew that the rest of the sages, Saria, Ruto, Darunia, and Rauru in Owl form, along with Impa and Nabooru, were probably discussing last nights horrific events, and trying to discern what to do about it. She knew she would not be any help in that meeting right now. Though the sages did not know it, her heart was in utter and complete turmoil. The one she loved was almost in a state of death, and all she had done was trust his word on, "Don't worry."

"Don't worry…," She muttered to herself. Practically the only sound other than the ticking clock that had echoed across the room at all in the new day, "So much for that now…"

Zelda turned her head sideways toward the empty shell of her loved one on the bed. He still laid the same as when the sages put him there. If it weren't for his breathing, Zelda could have easily related him to petrified wood. She quickly turned her head away. She couldn't stand seeing him like this. There was… nothing to see.

She finally took in a shallow breath, and made an audible sigh, rising out of her chair. The chair creaked as she stood, the legs of the piece of furniture now no longer stressed with have a person sit on it. Zelda's feet then dragged over to Link's prostrate form, and gently laid a gloved hand on the side of his face.

"We'll think of something… I promise… It's my fault and I shouldn't be here moping…"

She took away her hand slowly, slightly reluctant to have the hand leave his cheek. She stared longingly into his eyes, now dull rocks, ghosts of how they used to luster like diamonds.

"I promise…," she whispered to him before finally steeling herself away from the passive gaze, and opening the door to leave.

)(0)(

"There has to be an explanation behind it all, "Impa said, her expression and tone both characterizing the atmosphere around the room, "No one decides to just randomly take souls. This Dismara must have a motive… or some sort of goal to achieve."

"She could just be some crazy old hag who has nothing better to do," Nabooru offered with a strait face. Impa stared flatly at the Sage of Spirit, her opinion obviously sarcastic.

"Now isn't the time to be joking Nabooru. We must start thinking seriously, otherwise we may never be able to help the Hero of Time."

"Well we can't stay on just the motives forever Impa," a deep rumbling voice announced. It belonged to Darunia, the big brother of the Gorons. His massive arms were folded, showing authority, "If we do that, then we'll never get anywhere. I suggest we start looking for her."

"That's great and all, but we could spend days, even weeks searching, and by what you two tell us, she can teleport anywhere she wants," a melodic sound coming from Ruto stated, her posture relating her attitude and biting temper to the council.

"True," Darunia agreed, one of his strong, rock crushing hands rubbing his chin as he spoke, "But it's better to try rather than to never try at all."

"I agree with Darunia," A young girl said to the right of the Goron's Big Brother. Saria looked anxious and nervous, "But Ruto also brings a point, seeing as this witch travels where ever she wants when ever she wants. Instead of just uselessly hunting her down, I suggest we use our powers."

An agreeing hoot was heard at the window, the call belonging to a massive owl which represented Rauru the Sage of Light.

"Saria, you know very well that we cannot use our powers to locate just anyone," Impa disagreed, her white eyebrows furrowing deep, "We can only use them to locate Link, Zelda, or, Farore forbid, Ganondorf. This Dismara is not even Hylian from what Nabooru and I saw."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we couldn't try…," Saria offered, her face hinting pink slightly at her mistaken suggestion.

"I think," a new voice sounded, coming from the entrance of the council room, "That what is most important is getting Link's soul back… that we can track down."

The sages turned their heads at once to the door way, which revealed the wielder of the voice, Princess Zelda, the leader of the sages. She stood strait and tall, but her eyes showed to the rest of the sages that she had not slept at all sense the day before. She slowly walked into the room, and gently shut the door behind her, and gracefully put her gloved hands behind her back, "Though Dismara is the culprit of this horrific act, we do not know enough about her, or her motives in order to pursue her. What we need to do now, is do what we can, and what we are capable of is finding Link's soul. After all we do have the sage of spirit." Eyes then traveled to Nabooru, who shifted slightly under the gaze.

"You can find him right?" Zelda asked, her blue eyes secretly pleading.

"Yes but… it's not all in one piece. Remember what I told you? The boy somehow shattered it, and sent it to the winds. It's going to be a lot harder to find them all. Not to mention you can't gather them easily," Nabooru replied, somewhat hesitantly.

"That's understandable," Zelda easily replied, "But can we gather them with the resources we have now?"

Nabooru paused, putting a finger to her chin in thought, "Yes… I believe we do, but it's not keeping souls that's the hard part… it's catching them. I mean their souls. They don't exactly like to stay in the same place now do they?"

Zelda merely waited for the Sage of Spirit to move on.

"Though, I think I do have an idea…"

"And what would that be?" Impa asked Nabooru, a questionable look on the hand maid's features.

"We have the person who has lost his soul, do we not?" Nabooru asked them all, a smug smirk now playing on her face. The sages slowly nodded in reply to Nabooru's question, "Well then we can use him to collect his soul back."

"How is that possible?" Ruto asked with her hands on her hips, her fins fluttering in apprehension.

"It is possible," The sage of Spirit replied, "because even though the soul has left the Hero of Time's body, doesn't mean that it still isn't connected to it. Once an emotionless shell somehow comes near a soul, a soul is naturally drawn to the body, because a soul requires protection to keep it as it truly is. Which is the person's natural personalities."

"So what you're saying, is that we can use Link in order to collect the parts of his soul back?" Saria asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.

"I'm sensing a hole in this plan…," Impa muttered, her face dark and scrutinizing.

"Well it's the only good plan that we have right now… and I'm going to take it," Zelda stated, resolve burning in her eyes," she scanned the sages around the room, looking to see if they were as willing as she to go out and help her rescue Link, and she easily found the support in each and every one of them, though Impa was obviously sensing danger. That aside, the Princess smiled, "It's time we put plan to action… Nabooru, go and located where those soul pieces have fled. We need to know their locations as soon as possible. Dismara may have already gotten started."

"Darunia, you'll be in charge of transporting Link for wherever we need to go. Saria, I'm letting you come with us, and I need you to sense if there will be anything wrong on the possible many paths that we will take. Ruto, we'll need you in case we may need to go under water, and you will help with Darunia and his duties. Impa and I will trek all along with you and will lead the group. Is everything understood?"

The sages nodded with looks of confidence toward the leader of the Sages, their faces ranging from smiling, to looks of what one might call arrogance, but all and all the sages were ready with the orders that their leader had given them.

"Oh… and Rauru," Zelda said, facing the large owl perched on the windowsill, "I will need you as our scout. Can you do this?"

The owl replied with a resounding, "hoot," and quickly flew off away from the castle.

After Zelda's orders, the Sages left the council room to do as ordered, or to prepare for what may lie ahead. Zelda, however, stayed in the council room and drooped down into a chair. Her eyelids were bobbing up and down, begging for the princess to let them close for just a few minutes. But Zelda, being the resilient as she was, forced herself to stay awake. She did not have the time for sleep. Now was the time to contemplate, not to rest. She would have to wait until tonight for that.

Though she did not want to sleep, she couldn't resist putting her head down on the long wooden table and relax. She had only been sitting upright for an entire night at Link's bed side.

"Link," she said out loud to herself, " I wish I could have told you about this sooner… It's my fault you're like this…"

A suffering sigh left he Princess's lips, which brought to Zelda's attention that she was forming tears in her eyes. With an intake of breath she held them back, not wanting to show weakness to herself.

'_I promise Link… out of all that is within my power I will get you're soul back… I promise.' _


	8. Chapter 7

**Wow... okay. I feel like I'm such a LIAR for not updating for... like... what... TWO YEARS? I can't remember when I last posted a chapter, and I am dreadfully... DREADFULLY sorry for the LONG LONG LONG LONG wait! **

**Alot of stuff has happened and that stuff was stuff that couldn't be ignored. I started writing this chapter again around the Thanksgiving Holiday, and that's when the REAL GOOD PLOT started to come to me. I mean like... SEVERAL STORY IDEA plot idea. It took a long time, but I finally found a way to make this story more interesting than "collect Link's Soul Pieces, happily ever after." **

**I mean, it was meant to be more than that anyway, but it's like a major plot twist. And it won't alter the story too much, but it's cool. At least I hope you guys think it's cool. hehe. **

**Once again, SORRY for the really BELAYED update. I hope you guys who are watching the fic will still keep reading. It's going to get SO MUCH BETTER. **

**As for notes on the chapter itself, I feel like I lowered in quality as the chapter went on. You guys will have to be the feedback on that one. Reviews are much appreciated,and loved. I thank all of you who have reviewed this story. Your support means a lot to me, and now you guys will be rewarded with a chapter! I know it's not much... but... hopefully now that my writer's block is passed, I can post more than like... once every two years XD. **

**Anyway. ON WITH THE CHAPTER. Oh and... i'm 19 now. XD **

Chapter 7

Flicker of Hope, Inkling of Fear

Zelda held her protective shall tighter around her face as the sands of the Desert Colossus swirled about in their angry furry. She had nearly forgotten how the never ending sandstorms felt against her skin. Like a saw on wood, or something akin to a razor against flesh. Ignoring the minor hindrance, the princess took a quick glance behind her to see if her caravan of sages were keeping up.

Impa was right behind her, her vigilance even showing through the raging sand, as was Nabooru, and Darunia. Nabooru only looked slightly annoyed with the sandstorm, seeing as it was only an everyday occurrence for her, and Darunia didn't seem bothered at all. He almost seemed as if he was being splashed with one spec of water. Even with carrying the weight of the Hero of Time, he didn't seem to mind.

Zelda cast a glance to the bundle that was over the Sage of Fire's shoulder. Link hung limply, like a rag doll, covered in a simple blanket to protect his body against the wind. Zelda's expression fell a little at the sight, but her resolve once again took over as she turned around to continue walking, closer to the Spirit Temple.

It had been two days since the meeting in the council room back at Hyrule Castle. Every sage, including Zelda, worked heavily on locating all of the spirit shards that had escaped across the landscape. It had appeared that some fled to the sacred temples of Hyrule, but the others seemed to have escaped to other places less known. Zelda was at least comforted by the fact that they knew where five of them were. Nabooru had suggested that they search for the first one at the spirit temple (whether Nabooru had meant this to be a slight joke, Zelda wasn't sure, but it seemed a good place as any to start collecting Link's soul). Unfortunately, Ruto and Saria were unable to join their group, due to limitations and the harsh environment that the desert would have brought upon them.

Before they had left, the Sage of Spirit had a very lengthy chat on the nature of lost souls, and taught her that if they were not found quickly, they might attach to something less than desirable.

In short, everyone knew they had to hurry; otherwise this quest might be longer than hoped for.

As they continued their trek across the dunes, the sandstorm soon subsided to reveal the Desert Colossus with the howling night wind scourging the plateaus that surrounded the valley. It was still a long ways off till the temple would show on the horizon, and the group decided to stop at a nearby oasis for the night. Darunia got a fire going, and he set his precious bundle down next to him so he could warm himself. Impa and Nabooru decided to take watch for a while, and the Princess decided to take her place next to the Big Brother of the Gorons.

The fire was welcoming after traveling through the sandstorm, and Zelda immediately enjoyed the source of warmth before her. Darunia happily sat very still, like a stone absorbing the heat from the sun. The princess envied how the big Goron could always seem happy at times like these, and she looked up to him (figuratively and literally) for his strength and simple wisdom.

In order to break the silence between them and the fire, Zelda asked, "How do you do it?"

Darunia looked toward her, "Do what exactly princess?"

"You know," Zelda offered, "stay happy when everyone isn't?"

At this, the Goron merely chuckled, "I sometimes wonder that myself, but I believe that I've narrowed it down to a note worthy answer."

The princess looked at him curiously, "Go on…"

"Well, through all my experiences in this land… I've come to realize that even if evil befalls everything we love, something will eventually get rid of it… and if you always think that way, then you wouldn't stop smiling either."

Zelda scrunched her nose in confusion, "I suppose I get that… but maybe you could explain it a little more?"

Darunia suddenly had a glint of wisdom in his eye and a warm smile appeared on his features, "You know, for the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, you sure ask a lot of questions."

"That's why I have it," Zelda said, now smiling herself, "Otherwise I wouldn't know as much as I do now."

They both chuckled, and then Darunia proceeded with Zelda's request, "Well, you see… I used to be like everyone else. I used to get angry and frustrated when something didn't go the way I wanted it to… take for instance when Dodongo's Cavern was blocked due to Ganondorf's greed. We were all very upset and we weren't sure what to do. Everyone thought we were going to starve! The worst part was that the King, your father, wasn't responding to my requests… something I'm sure had to do with Ganondorf."

"I began to feel angry and bitter toward others. No one seemed to want to help. But then… lo and behold, Link shows up. Believe me, I was not very happy with him. He was such a tiny little thing."

Zelda smiled at the thought. Link was rather small for his age…

"But he was the only hope we had… and he seemed ready. So we sent him in, and my goodness we were surprised. And then he did it again… seven years later when I thought that the Gorons would be no more! Link showed me that hope could never be lost. I suppose you could say, that getting angry or mad isn't going to solve your problems… and neither will a sour face."

Zelda nodded in agreement, "I guess Link has showed us a lot of things… he showed me the impossible can be possible."

"You are certainly right about that princess!" Darunia declared, gently patting her delicate back… albeit she still was pushed rather harshly.

"Point being," Darunia continued, "I just know that in the end, everything will be alright. Even if the entire world seems to be crumbling beneath you. And that is why I remain optimistic. Surely, the Goddesses will provide a way for us."

The princess smiled at her Goron friend, "I'm glad we have you around Darunia… I'm not certain things would be the same without you."

"Anytime my Princess… any time at all."

The young sage felt comforted by Darunia's words, and the Sage of Fire's smile slowly crept on her own face, warming her empty optimism. However, her gaze on the Goron slowly shifted to the bundle lying limply on the ground, and her smile faltered.

"Princess?" Darunia questioned, following the gaze of the young lady.

"Ah…," he stated, answering his own question, "I imagine you're worried?"

Zelda nodded, "I guess I'm a little more than worried. I just wish I knew what he was feeling… I wonder if he feels cold, hot, or anything at all."

"I wonder the same things princess… his state of mind is certainly odd."

The leader of the Sages raised a keen blonde eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I've noticed that he twitches now and again… I'm not sure if it's just reflex… but it's as if he's trying to grab something. Something that surprised me is that he grabbed one of the stones on my back for a few seconds…"

"He what?" Zelda asked in astonishment, "He actually grabbed you?"

"Indeed he did," the Goron replied, "It makes me wonder if he has some of himself in there after all."

Zelda looked hopeful toward the Sage of Fire, and then she looked curiously at the lifeless Hero stuck in the blanket. She got up slowly, and walked the few short paces toward his prostrate form, where she could once again tell that he was still breathing, despite the evidence of anything otherwise. She gently sat herself down next to him, and gingerly lifted his shaggy blonde hair out of his eyes so she could get a good look at him. Nothing had really changed. He still seemed like a statue; unmoving and uncaring. Despite this, she lifted his head so that he could rest his head on something softer than the partial bit of rock that he laid on.

She didn't really know what she was doing. Perhaps she was just trying to do something for him. Whether or not he could feel it, she didn't know, but she felt better in knowing that whatever was comfortable for him before would be comfortable for him now. After she got him into a suitable position that he would have liked, she set her gaze to the dark horizon.

_West…_

In that direction, a part of Link's soul waited. She wondered if he was getting apprehensive. Hence the grabbing of Darunia's back.

Then again… it might have just been a reflex…

Zelda sighed, and decided not to give her hopes up. She needed to concentrate at the task at hand. She couldn't wait on hopes. This time she was the hope for Link, and there was no way she was going to fail.

"Well, here's hoping that everything will go smoothly tomorrow," Zelda said out loud, catching the attention of Darunia.

"I believe they will. As Always Princess."

Zelda decided to let the conversation end, and soon Darunia curled up for the night. Eventually Zelda heard the Goron begin to snore slightly, signaling that he was in a very restful sleep. The princess frowned, wishing that she could do the same. Even after seven years of not living in a castle, Zelda still found it hard to sleep on the cold hard ground. She wished she could adapt, like Link, but unfortunately she was too used to the soft mattresses of the palace to do much adventurous traveling.

"_I guess I could get used to it now…"_

She looked back down into Link's eyes, sighing as she did so. She missed his voice and his enthusiasm. She nearly had forgotten how much Link's attitude reflected her own. Now there was nothing to really feel off of.

Wishing inwardly that Link could perhaps do something to tell her that he was still somewhat there, she continued to stroke his face as if consoling him that everything would be alright. Unfortunately there was no response.

"_Maybe I should just stop." _

The princess bit her lip as she took her hand away. She found that she was hurting herself by not seeing anything come up in Link's eyes. Awkwardly turning away, she decided to take her focus to Impa and Nabooru in the distance. They seemed to be having their own conversation… about what Zelda was not sure, but they seemed to be more observant about their surroundings than the camp. However, she began to feel a slight pain behind her eyes do to the dead weight in her lap. She brought her hand up and pressed the bridge of her nose to try and make the tears stay back, but the tears quietly escaped in droves, reminding her of the night in which Link first became like this. After the first few tears fell, she quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand, and cursed herself for being so emotionally weak without him.

'_I'm making a fool out of myself.'_

"_**I suggest you look down…" **_

"_No I don't want to. I'm only going to look down at nothing." _

"_**Look down Zelda!" **_

Zelda reluctantly looked down into Link's eyes staring back at her.

"_See, I told you that he wasn't-" _

Realization then struck the princess.

The hero was in fact staring at her… returning her gaze as if he heard her.

"Link?" she said quietly, her hands returning to hold his head.

The aforementioned hero did not reply, but he continued to stare at her, as if telling her that she had nothing to fear.

"Link… Link you can hear me? You can see me?" The princess begged, hoping that maybe she would get some kind of response out of him. Regretfully, he did not speak, but it appeared that the look in his eyes could relay his answers to her. She breathed out slowly, feeling relief wash over her to know that some of him really was still there. She embraced him gingerly, then returned her gaze to his eyes. They were still dull, but they contained a new luster…

"_Ambtion?"_ She thought, taking her index finger and tracing the outline of his face.

"Oh Goddesses… I thought all of you was lost to the winds…"

Link just continued to stare, silently listening to Zelda's voice.

"_**Look down at his hand…" **_

"_his hand?"_

"_**Yes. His hand. Look at it." **_

The Princess looked toward his hand, and she saw that he was closing his hand into a fist, and slowly letting his hand loose again. It was a very subtle movement, but she saw it happening. A new ray of excitement grasped at Zelda's heart, and she nearly squealed at this new discovery.

She then saw the symbol on the hand that was moving.

It was the symbol of the triforce, two other pieces shaded out to let the one that stood for courage to shine. It was shining more brightly than usual, and then Zelda questioned if the Triforce was giving him strength to actually move.

But Nabooru had stated that no one could live without a soul.

Unless…

"_Is there a piece still inside of you Link? A piece in which your Triforce piece has protected?" _

"_**It seems possible doesn't it? The Triforce can do things in which we will probably never fathom." **_

"_So… maybe a bit of Link really is still in there." _

Zelda looked down at the hero with a new light in her eye. Not of sadness, but of determination. If Link had the strength to go on, so did she.

She gingerly placed her hand in Link's, his fingers still twitching and closing. As soon as her fingers went into his palm, he immediately grasped them with a stronger grip than what Zelda thought possible. It almost felt pleading… as if he were dying to say anything, but all he could do was convey what he felt through his heartfelt touch. Zelda replied with a tighter hold of her own, and she could feel the bond between them grow stronger.

"_Don't worry Link,"_ Zelda thought, a confident smile (much like Darunia's ) now coming onto her face, "_We'll get you back." _

After a few moments, Zelda reluctantly let go and she lowered herself to the ground. With Link still in her lap, and her eyes now on the clear night sky, she stared at the stars before her. She slowly closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep, knowing that tomorrow would bring them a step closer to bringing the one she loved back.

And then maybe… just maybe…

They could hold hands like that once again.

)(0)(

The next morning, Zelda and the group of sages set out once more for the Spirit Temple. None of them knew what to expect, since the temple had not been entered for quite some time. Link and Nabooru had entered it a while ago, but all of them were expecting the worst of beasts had crawled back into it's corridors. The princess hoped that the Lizafos tribe had not decided to make the temple their new place of residence, and she also prayed to all three Goddesses that Dismara had not gotten to their location first. The last leg of the journey to the end of the desert took longer than expected due to another small sandstorm, and the tension in the group was running high. Time was of the essence, and the Princess noticed that Link's twitching was getting more and more anxious. Zelda guessed that the hero could sense himself close by. If he could show it, he would probably be acting frustrated at their slowness. Zelda was gaining more anxious herself. She prompted the group to move faster often, worried that they might not make it.

She did, however, keep the Sage of Fire's words in mind. That everything would be alright.

"_The Goddesses are on our side."_ Zelda thought to keep herself calm.

Eventually, through Zelda's hastened efforts, the group finally saw the Spirit Temple rising above the changing dunes. The Goddess of the Sand sat proudly, her hands reaching out toward them. Zelda remembered the statue well. She as Shiek had met Link just outside of the Temple, waiting for him so that she may teach him the Requiem that would heal the desert. At the time the statue seemed ominous… but now she seemed… like she was waiting. For what, Zelda was not sure of. The Princess guessed that the statue's demeanor changed much like the ever shifting sands of the desert. The Queen of the Desert would never stay the same.

Zelda's nostalgia was cut off by Nabooru's call, "Come on! It's about time we get inside!"

The sages complied with the fiery Gerudo, and all of them quickened their pace even further to get to the entrance. It didn't take long to do so, and soon the opening to the Temple stood before them. Once the door was seen, they slowed their running, and warily entered the Spirit Temple with their senses at the ready.

When they went inside, Zelda noticed that the temple hadn't changed much at all. It still held the musky atmosphere like a tomb, but it still held it's ancient elegance. The cryptic inscriptions held by the king cobra heads were still there. The ominous messages they held brought a memory back to the Princess of how Link had to travel back and forth in time to solve it's mysteries.

It made the princess wonder who exactly had built this place… let alone the other temples.

"There seems to be nothing here at the present time…," Impa stated in a calm voice, "At least nothing evil anyway."

"I agree," said Nabooru, "I sense no evil spirits. I think we're the only ones here."

"Does that mean we have a free run to the soul piece?" Zelda asked hopefully, glad that something had gone in their favor.

"Well, that's what I'm guessing." The Sage of Spirit replied, her voice now more relaxed due to the lack of danger.

"That's good…," Darunia mumbled, "My shoulder is getting tired…"

"Liar," Nabooru instantly said, a smile on her face, "I know as well as you do that Link should weigh absolutely _nothing_ to you."

The Sage of Fire chuckled and Zelda could feel the rumble from his laugh, "Oh I'm just joking Nabooru. Live a little!"

The Gerudo snorted, and she turned back to the empty temple.

"Well…," Zelda started slowly, "Where is the soul piece located?"

In response to her question, Nabooru closed her eyes in concentration and took a deep breath. In a subdued voice she replied, "It appears to be in the room where the smaller sculpture of The Goddess of the Sand resides… not too much of a walk it appears."

"I suggest we get moving then, " Impa stated, adding to her suggestion by walking to the general location.

The group then began to follow Impa's lead through the maze of corridors that comprised the Spirit Temple.

It didn't take long for the group of sages to find the main chamber of the temple. It was, by far, the grandest room. Beams of light shone down through the ceiling, the intensity of the light telling Zelda that it had reached mid-day. The floor was dusty, but underneath the grime, granite tile shone through, countless designs littering the floor with it's warm color tone. Then the statue itself, placed in the front of the room, sat proudly with her hands stretched out. Much like the one outside. The statues face was gone, however, due to Link's dungeon crawling efforts. It made the figure seem rather hollow and empty… completely opposite from the sister statue.

But something new now adorned the Goddess of the Sand.

On the pedestal beneath her legs, a faint orange ball of light rested above an open chest… seemingly watching… even waiting for something to come toward it.

"Nayru…," Zelda breathed, "Is that one of them?"

Nabooru nodded fervently, "That's the one… I mean, I don't see anything else that looks like a soul do you?"

Zelda scowled at the Gerudo's tone with her, but she brushed it off, "Well… what do we do now?"

"We should put Link's body closer to his soul piece. It should react accordingly."

The Princess nodded and motioned for Darunia to follow her toward the pedestal at the statue's feet. As the young sage walked closer to it, she felt a strange aura around it. She couldn't quite place the feeling, but as she walked even closer, her heart started to pound, and sweat began to drip from her brow. Zelda merely discarded the feelings as nervousness and continued to press forward. The more she did so, however, the more frantic she became. She soon felt like there was something following her… but she knew that there wasn't anything there; her group was the only one there.

"Darunia…," Zelda muttered slowly, her voice catching at random intervals, "Do you feel… strange at all?"

"No," The Goron grunted in reply, "What is the matter Princess?"

"I-I'm not sure…," The Princess responded, her confidence now wavering and falling to the pit of her stomach as she gained more ground toward the soul piece.

Zelda noticed Link's hand grasping at Darunia's back in anticipation. His body almost seemed strained. Her eyes darted back and forth between Link and the soul piece. Her fear began to grow for no apparent reason, and she randomly blurted out, "Go on Darunia… I-I can't go near that…"

The sages looked at Zelda in confusion, but Impa spoke first, "Zelda what is going on? What exactly is the matter?"

"I-I just… I-I can't! I can't get near it… I don't want to go near it… I-I just…"

"She's… scared?" Nabooru muttered under her breath, but loud enough for Impa to hear. A surprised expression made it's way onto the sage of Spirit's face and realization hit her.

"It's defending itself…"

"What?" Impa asked.

"The soul piece… it's defending itself by emitting what it contains…" The Gerudo replied, her brow knitted in thought.

As Impa and Nabooru continued their conversation, Zelda, out of fear, backed away from the soul piece slowly, only to find that her fear slowly faded as she got farther away. Slowly, yet surely, she regained her emotional state when she stopped at Impa's side.

"_What happened to me?" _

"_**Not sure… but Darunia doesn't seem to be affected…" **_

"Zelda… stay by me for now," Impa said, placing a firm hand on the sage's shoulder in comfort. The princess decided that Impa was right for once, considering she didn't know what she was getting into. Her reaction was unexpected, and it had surprised her greatly. She looked on toward Darunia, who looked a tad alarmed at the Princess's sudden behavior, but Nabooru gave him a wave of her hand telling him to go on with Link.

The Princess could tell that he was getting more and more restless on Darunia's back, and as the Big Brother of the Gorons edged closer, something unexpected happened.

"Darunia… Put me… put me down."

All four sages gasped in unison as they soon discovered that the source of the voice was that of the limp hero.

"Link?" Zelda said hopefully, feeling a slight smile appear on her lips at the sound of his voice.

Darunia gawked at his Sworn Brother, unsure of whether he was imagining the voice, or if it really did belong to the one he was carrying over his shoulder.

"Please… Darunia… Put me down."

Officially seeing his mouth move, Darunia gently placed the hero on the ground, a look of complete shock still on his face.

"Is uh… is he supposed to be doing that?" The Sage of Fire cast a glance of worry on his stony face toward Nabooru. Her reply was a shrug and the shaking of her head, telling him that she was unsure as anyone else was.

"I suppose it is in Link's hands then," Impa decided, trying to keep everyone calm with her common sense. Though Impa's words did bring some comfort, Zelda was still concerned about what would happen next.

Her eyes were glued onto Link as he continued to lay there. He was looking at the strange ball of orange light, and he weakly brought his right hand closer to it. The triforce mark on the back of his hand reacted, and a bright flash of white light, much like the light he caused to appear back in the Temple of Time, flooded the main chamber of the Spirit Temple. After a few seconds it subsided, and the faint glow of the soul piece reacted by slowly moving toward Link. Seemingly to have an eagerness to return to its owner's body.

Zelda, her eagerness getting the better of her, walked away from her hand maid's grasp and once again walked closer to the scene before her. She no longer felt the undeniable panic envelop her, but instead, she was able to get closer without hinderence.

"Zelda come back!" Impa commanded in a motherly tone, "It might be dangerous!"

The leader of the Sages did not listen to Impa, as she continued her short trek over to Link's form, his hand still outstretched, welcoming a piece of himself back to where it belonged.

The Princess knelt down beside Link, almost entranced at how gracefully the soul met his hand, and let him grasp the ball of light. A sudden idea then crossed her. It was purely out of curiosity, but she could not help but reach her hand out toward Link's, still clutching the orange orb.

"Zelda Wai-!"

Whatever Impa was about to say was suddenly cut off, as Zelda touched the orb.

It was the strangest thing the sage had ever felt.

At first she felt warmth rush through her body, almost like the sensation of first stepping into a hot bath. The warmth didn't last for long though. The feeling was soon replaced by a cold wind that bit at Zelda's exposed skin, making her shrink back and shiver.

The cold became so intense that the Princess became lightheaded and dazed. Concerned voices turned into mere fuddled speech, and her awareness of her surroundings completely vanished, leaving her numb.

The last thing she felt before she lost consciousness was her head falling forward and landing on Link's chest.

"_**don't be afraid." **_

Little did Zelda know how sick of an irony it would be.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Fearless

The Princess awoke to find herself lying in a small glen, surrounded by ancient trees that covered the sky and ferns that stretched over the bare earth, thick enough that no one could see the ground unless they dug for it. She slowly sat up, her head still spinning due to the after affects of her light headedness. Her vision was unfocused, so she tried rubbing her eyes with her hands, but her eyes remained hazy and stiff. She shut her eyes tightly, and reopened them to look more closely at her surroundings.

She obviously could tell that she was in a vast forest. She decided that she was currently in the Lost Woods, but her mind didn't seem like it was convinced that it was. The trees were too tall, and she had never seen ferns and plants like this before in her life. Or she had not gone deep enough into the forest to find them… Either way, nothing seemed familiar. As Shiek, she hid in the Lost Woods for long periods of time to avoid the Evil King's gaze, but she had not dared venture too far from Hyrule's boarders. This seemed far beyond the kingdom… completely unfamiliar.

Then another startling observation sent her senses on edge.

She was alone.

A sinking feeling fell to the pit of her stomach, and Zelda instinctively pulled her arms and legs closer together, only to reveal another strange realization.

She was completely bare naked.

Zelda squealed loudly and shot up, staring down at her now bare body, not sure of whether to be embarrassed or deeply concerned at her present condition. She looked around hastily to see if anyone really was around, secretly watching her, but her attempts to find anyone were in vain. She felt slightly relieved, but worried that there really was no one there.

The Princess stood there confused.

A minute ago, she was in the Spirit Temple, and now she was in the middle of nowhere.

But, what had she been doing in the Spirit Temple?

As Zelda reconciled her thoughts, she remembered Link's limp form being carried by Darunia… Impa and Nabooru conversing… and Link finally being able to speak when he was close to his soul piece.

But what had happened after that?

The Sage became puzzled at the simple question. As much as she tried, her mind would not relinquish what exactly happened after she started to walk toward the Hero.

Perplexed, Zelda mindlessly looked around once more. Nothing had changed really. Eventually she decided that her surroundings were quite beautiful. Looking around one more time to make sure that no one was there, she carefully took one step forward in a random direction. She wasn't sure if it was the smartest thing to do… but her instinct was telling her to move.

She slowly walked through a random pair of trees, and soon she left the glen behind, letting herself go into the darker parts of the forest.

Nothing seemed too out of place. This didn't seem to be like any of her prophetic dreams she had before. Nothing reached out to suddenly grab her; there weren't any pits to fall in; no strange symbols; no hellish images… everything seemed practically real. Her feet could feel the soft ferns below the soles of her feet, her fingers felt the roughness of the tree's trunks, and she could smell the fresh scent of various flowers blooming all around her.

Everything was amazingly wonderful and inspiring, but she soon noticed an eerie presence in the back of her mind. Though this forest was full of plant life, it lacked something else.

Zelda suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She put a hand up to her pointed ear.

No sound came. At all.

Absolute quiet.

For some reason this seemed to bother Zelda more than her nakedness.

She listened again, just to be sure, but there was indeed no sound at all coming from the forest. No birds, no insects, no scuttling of woodland creatures…

Was she the only one here?

Worried now, Zelda turned around in circles, wondering whether or not she should go back to the glen that she came from. It wasn't too far away. But then again, there were countless other places to go in these woods. It was probably best if she didn't back track. She decided to press forward to see if she could find anything at all, or at least a reason of why this forest had become silent.

Her feet soon carried he to yet another glade, albeit the sun's light did not reach much of the ground here. The vegetation was thick and hard to move through, but eventually it evened out and it was easy to walk through once more.

The glen itself wasn't very large. The trees surrounding it were like walls, and their leaves acted like a roof above her head, sheltering her from any elements that nature might have thrown at her. The ground was covered in a soft moss. No ferns were present in the glen, and Zelda could see that this place was being cared for by something, or someone; Places where undesired plants had been pulled were evident by various holes in the moss covering. In the center of this pristine place was a stump of an ancient tree. It had apparently been cut down a while ago, seeing as the trees surrounding it had now overtaken what space this stump used to occupy.

This empty space seemed welcoming to the Princess, but once again she regarded her bareness, and retreated slightly, unsure if anyone was truly around.

"_What should I do?"_ she thought, her arms now covering up what they could, "_Should I try to clothe myself?" _

She already knew that was impossible. She had nothing to make clothes out of… even if she decided to go as far as leaves, she didn't have anything to have them stay on her body.

As her frustration escalated, her ears finally picked up a sound. A snap echoed off in the distance, sending her head reeling in the direction it came from. It appeared to have come from in front of the Princess, and she immediately squatted down to hide herself in the ferns surrounding the glade.

Soon she heard more snapping of branches and foliage, and her fear began to make her heart accelerate.

"_**I suggest you hold still." **_

"_What should I do?!" _

"_**Just stay calm! Don't do anything irrational. Don't make any sudden movements." **_

The sounds became louder and louder, and Zelda knew she would see the beast any second.

And then, a massive hoofed foot, colored the darkest of black entered the glade, followed by a body that would have towered over the princess if she were next to it. It's head was shaped like a boar's, it's tusks huge beyond any creature Zelda had ever seen. It's eyes were tiny in comparison to it's head, and between a set of ears, red hair flew like fire behind it. It grunted and drooled strange fluids from it's mouth, revealing a set of sharp teeth to go along with the tusks.

There was no mistaking it.

"_Ganon…," _Zelda thought, her resolve draining from her, much like the color that was left in her face.

He was different than before somehow. His body did not seem… firm. His body looked fluid, and unstable. Zelda noted that black smoke would rise off of him and disappear into nothing a few inches away.

But even if his body was not physical, the young sage could see that he could still affect what was around him. His other foot stepped into the glade, and he began to slowly walk around it. The foot prints in which he left behind where nothing but ash and waste. The once thriving moss all but shriveled up beneath his touch.

"_Oh Goddesses… does he know I'm here?"_ Zelda suddenly thought, sweat beginning to run down her brow at her new found anxiety.

The beast continued his short walk around the small glen, destroying helpless ferns and flowers in the process, and even taking out a massive branch, which let in a little bit of light from the sun.

"_**I suggest you run now." **_

As silently as she could, Zelda turned around and began to sneak away, her eyes nearing the point of tears due to her encounter.

"_He should be back in the Sacred Realm! What is he doing back here?" _

"_**This isn't the 'here' you remember." **_

"_What in all of HELL do you mean by that?" _

"_**This is not a dream, but rather a memory." **_

Zelda mentally paused as she picked up her pace, away from the terrible sight. Whether he was making his way toward her she didn't know, but she decided not to look behind her.

"_This… this is a memory?" _

"_**It's not your memory." **_

"_Then who's-" _

Before Zelda even had a chance to finish her mental conversation, a young man, as bare naked as her, rushed out from a set of bushes from the side of her, and grabbed her by the waist, carrying her with him as he ran.

Zelda was so shocked by the sudden maneuver, that she did not have the time to make a protest. He ran so swiftly and silently through the woods that he would have dragged Zelda on the ground if the princess had not decided to keep her legs up to run. From her vantage point, she couldn't see the young man's face, buts he could tell that he was Hylian by his long pointed ears, and he had golden blonde hair, much like Link's. In fact, if she looked a little closer…

A resounding roar ripped through the trees, sending a wave of fear through Zelda's body, making her suddenly trip and fall out of the stranger's grasp. Before she hit the ground however, a firm hand caught her wrist and quickly pulled her back up, making her once again move at full speed. The princess admitted to herself that it was a little easier to move, now that she didn't have a man's arm around her waist. (The Princess blushed at the fact that she was still naked and a man had touched her, but she decided not to dwell on such thoughts when they were apparently running away from the beast that looked like Ganon.)

She still had not seen the man's face, due to the fact that he seemed intent on finding a destination. It appeared that he was not eager to look behind him, much how Zelda decided against the same idea.

Another roar, much closer this time, ringed in Zelda's ears, and at this, the man ripped to the right; away from the source of the roar.

"He's on to us…," the youth said gently, as if trying not to scare her.

His voice sounded much like Link's… smooth and deep, but it held more of a mature tone that Zelda couldn't place. But as her curiosity rose, her sense of safety was plummeting to the pit of her gut as the un earthly roar of Ganon tore through the forest.

"We must hurry… otherwise he might catch us."

He seemed just as disheveled as the young sage felt. She realized that his running was very sporadic and unpredictable, like he didn't know what to do.

As if he was just as afraid as she was.

After what seemed like forever, the young man skidded to stop near a very large tree. Upon further inspection, Zelda noticed that there was a hole near the bottom, large enough for two to fit comfortably; the perfect hiding place. Still unable to see his face, Zelda was motioned by the man inside, and quickly did as she was told. She slid into the dark hole, mud and dirt clinging to her skin as she did so. Her feet landed on moist earth, filled with small roots and decomposing material. With normal circumstances, she normally would have been disgusted by this, but a hiding place was needed, and if this was to keep her safe, Zelda was not about to argue.

The Sage heard her mysterious partner slide down as well, his feet landing softly on the wet earth, and he gently guided her to the side into the darkness. He sat down against the edge of the hollow, and pulled Zelda down with him, her back now resting on his torso, and her head resting on his chest. The man's legs encircled Zelda's body, as if protecting her from anything that might come down the entrance. The princess then felt his hot breath against her neck, heaving with exhaustion. Considering the distance he crossed in that short of a time, Zelda was certain he must be tired.

"Keep close," he muttered in between breaths, his chin now resting on the nape of her neck.

Zelda's own breathe quickened, but not out of fatigue or fear. The fact she was naked… and that _he_ was naked… and due to their close proximity of each other…

Needless to say the situation was very awkward.

"_Who's memory is this?"_ Zelda questioned, remembering the mental conversation that she had abruptly ended.

"_**I'm surprised you cannot answer that on your own." **_

"_What do you mean?" _

"_**Just look at who is holding you." **_

"_How can I see who's holding me… it's pitch black in here…" _

"_**There's enough light just DO IT." **_

Zelda's gaze now turned to the one who was resting his head on her shoulder and her eyes widened.

Indeed the hollow wad dark and little could be seen… but there was enough light to see the young man's face. His eyes were bright blue… the color of time, and his hair hung down in a shaggy fashion that framed a boyish face coming with age.

It was Link.

There was no denying it. It was Link… sitting right there… with her in his arms.

Running away from Ganon.

She was glad that it was Link holding her, but she became befuddled with questions.

When did Link have _this _memory? Unless this was something that Zelda had amnesia over, she was sure that this had never happened between Link and herself. The only time they ever encountered Ganon was after Link had rescued her from Ganondorf's clutches at the top of his evil tower.

"_What kind of memory is this?" _

"_**An old one. A very, very old one. One that even Link himself doesn't remember." **_

Zelda could still hear Ganon's roars over them, and she could feel Link's gut clench at the horrifying sound. He held onto her tighter than before. The princess then felt something wet fall down her body, and she looked toward Link with concern.

He was crying.

He was more than just crying… he was shuddering with fear.

She had never known Link to be like this in any circumstance. Link had always been the brave one, while she was the one cowering.

"Everything will be fine…," he half heartedly said behind his tears, making Zelda on the verge of crying herself.

"We'll be okay."

"_**You have no idea what's going on do you?" **_

"_Do you?" _

No reply came.

"_Please answer me." _

Still no reply.

Before Zelda could ask again, the images around her started to fade. The hollow vanished, the roars stopped, and the scared Link disappeared into oblivion. All that was left was her and the darkness.

She was once again, alone.

Once again, she was afraid.

"Link?" She called out. But only echoes of her call came back to her.

The princess fell to her knees out of desperation, and began to cry silently, unable to think of a way out of this mess.

"_**Have you ever had something you were afraid of losing? Would you be willing to run away from honor for it?" **_

"_**Would you put pride aside to help one in need? Would you put it away to let reality sink in? To know that you're not invincible?" **_

"_**Would you lie to yourself… saying that you are fine when you know full well that everything around you is falling apart?" **_

"_**Fear is nothing to be afraid of. Fear is instinct. Fear is what makes us put what is important first." **_

"_**In a sense… fear makes us fearless." **_

The cryptic message rung in Zelda's mind, making her eyes close and relax.

Fear makes us fearless.

It was a strange irony that could have made the Sage's head hurt, but at the moment it made sense. And anything that made sense right now brought comfort to her soul.

"_What happens now?" _

"_**You wake up." **_


End file.
